Community centres in 14 panchayats   

KOCHI: The Kudumbashree District Mission is planning to develop ‘model’ community development society (CDS) centres in each of the 14 block panchayats in the district as part of a three-year plan proposed by National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). According to Kudumbashree officials, the model CDS project aims at making the CDS centres self-sustainable. 

“Post the completion of the project, workers will play an active role in the day to day functioning of the CDS. The public will also be a part of the self-help groups of Kudumbashree to give them an opportunity to improve their livelihoods.

Linkage loans will also be given to every member which will stop them from falling under the trap of non-banking financial institutions,” said Suchitra S, District Programme Manager, Kudumbashree. According to her, the completion of the project will contribute to the overall development of the panchayat.  According to Kudumbashree authorities, 14 CDS have been already selected from each block panchayat and each centre has been allotted an infrastructure fund. 

The renovation works in the centres in Vengola, Valakom, Kavalangad and Ramamangalam have been completed.“In addition to this, we have also collected a baseline data which comprises the number of self-help groups and their families, special self-help groups, gender supporting systems and people who have taken linkage loans,” said the DPM. 

According to her, the major achievements and their progress is being updated on a monthly basis on the management information system (MIS) portal of NRLM. “As many as four block coordinators are also appointed in each block to oversee the activities of CDS such as organising regular meetings.

Their activities will be discussed during the meetings in the presence of panchayat president. Experienced workers known as spearhead members from each CDS will play the role of mentors to evaluate them and give suggestions,” said 
the official.