The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Chandy pledges support to Kudumbasree

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Chandy pledges support to Kudumbasree

Special Correspondent

Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar

Gaining strength: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Transport Minister V.S. Sivakumar, and the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy pledges his government's whole-hearted support to the Kudumbasree Mission, which he describes as a movement that pioneered a silent economic revolution in the State.

Inaugurating the 13 {+t} {+h} annual special convention of Kudumbasree community development societies' chairpersons here on Thursday, Mr. Chandy said the Kudumbasree, being an official arm of the government, would get its due cooperation. There is no room for any anxiety about the government's approach to the movement. The government attached top priority to the Ashraya scheme, which provided support to indigent and deprived sections. Kudumbasree workers should take the lead in extending the mission's reach all over the State.

Complaints about repayment of loans taken by Kudumbasree workers should be addressed. The movement should explore new areas and bring in more innovative projects, he said.

Mr. Chandy launched an online monitoring system of the Ashraya scheme at the function.

Nation-building

Transport Minister V.S. Sivakumar, in his presidential address, said the movement should be used for nation-building activities. The social revolution heralded by the Kudumbasree had catalysed the process of women empowerment and helped women become more self-reliant, he said.

Minister for Urban Affairs and Information Technology P.K. Kunhalikutty, after inaugurating ‘Unnathi,' an IT consortium, described the mission as a proud development model of Kerala which deserved due encouragement and support of the government. The style of functioning of the Kudumbasree could be emulated by the whole country, he said.

Panchayats and Social Welfare Minister M.K. Muneer said the government was trying to provide interest-free loans for farming projects to be taken up under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Steps would be taken to strengthen the marketing of Kudumbasree products, so that it would be sold through hyper markets as well. The movement had won acclaim all over the world. As much as 62 per cent of the women who contested the last local body elections were Kudumbasree activists. The State government would host an international workshop on the Kudumbasree Mission so that people from different parts of the world would get an opportunity to learn the inherent strength of the movement, he said.

Training programme

Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, who inaugurated a training programme for youths from economically backward families at the Food Craft Institute, urged Kudumbasree activists to apprise the government of the projects they intended to take up in the tourism sector.

Former Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, offering his felicitation, called for strengthening the accounting system to ensure that there were no complaints about the repayment of loans. He wanted Kudumbasree workers to restructure their employment schemes and conserve the autonomy of the CDS.

Mayor K. Chandrika and district panchayat president Ramani P. Nair were among those who offered felicitations. Mission Executive Director Sarada Muralidharan welcomed the gathering and Director (Administration and Finance) P.K. Thomas proposed a vote of thanks.

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