What this scheme offers
Launched in 1998, Kudumbashree organises women into a three-tier structure — neighbourhood groups, area development societies, and community development societies — that together form one of the largest women's networks anywhere in India, with around 45 lakh members. The network functions as a genuine economic institution: members save collectively, borrow from group funds at reasonable terms, and often run small enterprises together — catering units, farming collectives, retail shops — that would be much harder to finance or sustain alone. Because it's built on local, member-run structures rather than a top-down cash transfer, it has continued across multiple changes of government since 1998, including the historic 2026 transition.
Who is eligible
- Woman resident of Kerala.
- Willing to join or form a neighbourhood group (typically 15-40 members) at the local level.
- No income restriction for basic membership, though many welfare-linked benefits within Kudumbashree target BPL households specifically.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card
- Residential proof
- Bank account details, for group savings and loan components
How to apply
- Contact your local Kudumbashree Community Development Society (CDS) office, usually run through the Gram Panchayat or Municipality.
- Join an existing neighbourhood group in your area, or work with the CDS to form a new one if none exists nearby.
- Participate in group savings meetings — this is the foundation the rest of Kudumbashree's benefits (loans, enterprise support) build on.
- Once your group has an established savings record, it becomes eligible to apply for group loans and enterprise support through Kudumbashree's linked schemes.
- Explore specific livelihood or enterprise programmes through your CDS as your group's activity develops.