The Hindu Business Line : Kerala: `Micro housing' initiative on anvil

SOLID waste management, biotechnology and coir are some of the areas in which the Kerala State Poverty Eradication Mission or Kudumbashree plans to set up micro enterprises.

Also on the anvil is a `micro housing' initiative targeted at homeless families in the State, said Mr T.K. Jose, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, Government of Kerala.

The `micro housing' initiative is intended for those homeless people who are part of the community based organisations formed under the aegis of Kudumbashree, Mr Jose told Business Line.

Those who apply for loans under this scheme will have to fulfil certain criteria, he added. The scheme involves the participation of several large public sector banks and is likely to be rolled out soon.

Meanwhile, the Kudumbashree project to establish women-oriented micro enterprises is gaining in popularity, said Mr Jose. The idea is to use these micro enterprises to provide employment to people below the poverty line, and, thus, help them improve their income and standard of living, he explained.

In the urban areas of Kerala alone, some 1,200 group-based micro enterprises have been established, while the corresponding figure for rural areas is around 19,300. Similarly, there are over 20,000 self-employment micro enterprises started by individuals under the aegis of the Kudumbashree initiative.

Together, these enterprises provide a sustainable source of employment for over 1.35 lakh families across the State. These businesses operate in diverse areas ranging from catering and food processing to information technology and direct marketing.

Other areas in which Kudumbashree units operate include toy manufacturing, vehicle servicing, repair of faulty water meters and manufacture of paper bags.

The Kudumbashree initiative has even been able to establish a successful brand — `Kerashree' coconut oil, Mr Jose said. This brand of coconut oil is so popular that demand always exceeds supply, he said.

The coconut oil, which is mainly sold in North Kerala, is retailed using the Kudumbashree direct marketing network without resorting to any advertising, he added. In fact, buoyed by the success of the direct marketing effort, the organisation has decided to set up a direct marketing network attached to every new unit, he explained.

Kudumbashree's involvement with these micro enterprises is not confined to their formation alone, but also continues long afterwards. `Hand-holding' services, training, business-networking support, and so on, are all part of the package that Kudumbashree provides.

More Stories on : Rural Development | Real Estate & Construction | Kerala

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page