Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010756680300.htm

Kerala - Kattappana

Review councils to analyse functioning of Kudumbasree

A Correspondent

The councils will be set up in each panchayat

Women from APL families also to be included
Focus on local development through Kudumbasree

KATTAPPANA: Review councils will be set up in each grama panchayat to analyse the functioning of the Kudumbasree units, which have become a driving force in uniting women from economically backward families by providing them financial support through various income-generating schemes. The review councils will also suggest measures for improving the functioning the units.

A meeting of the officials of Kudumbasree and the grama panchayat presidents in the district organised at the collectorate conference hall, Painavu, decided to set up review councils on a priority basis.

“This decision was taken as per the new bylaw of Kudumbasree units,” said an official of Kudumbasree Mission.

From running computer centres to taking up farming, Kudumbasree units have grown to expectations and the effort now is to streamline their functioning and to correct the defects, if any, at the grama panchayat level itself, he said. This would also help in widening the base of Kudumbasree units and strengthening them.

Bylaw amended

The bylaw of Kudumbasree has been amended so that even women belonging to Above Poverty Line categories can join the neighbourhood groups (NHGs). The district has nearly 1,60,000 families in 9,000 NHGs.

According to the official, bank credits are easily available to Kudumbasree members and viable projects, taking into account the locally available opportunities, should be taken up.

“Review councils at the grama panchayat level can be more effective than a monitoring or review committee at the district-level. Also, the units can take up more micro-projects to effectively contribute to the economic development of the locality,” he said.

Though, the initial focus of Kudumbasree Mission was women’s empowerment and their economic development, the focus now is to strengthen Kudumbasree so that it can contribute to the economic development of the area. Once the micro-projects taken up by the Kudumbasree units in the grama panchayat-level spread to the entire district, development will reach a wider sphere, he said.

Also, the panchayat administrative committees have been asked to ensure that the financial assistance given by the Kudumbasree Mission for lease land cultivation reaches the deserving members. The aim is to bring more transparency in the functioning of the units.