Kerala mulls online platform for products of Kudumbashree, MSME units

P. Rajeev, State Minister for Law, Industry, and Coir on Monday said the Kerala government is working on the idea of starting an online platform to deliver products manufactured by Kudumbashree and other Micro, small, and medium production units, for which the work has already started.

He said this at the state level inauguration of distributing seed capital financial assistance scheme given to Self Help Groups (SHGs) as part of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) project.

He pointed out that they are working on various ideas like, 'One district one product' scheme, devised to identify one product from each district and to promote its sale.

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"This scheme will include procuring raw materials using common facilities for production and helping to widen the market for the product. The food processing ministry also helps entrepreneurs in building logistical support and developing the brand building for the product," said Rajeev.

Kudumbashree Mission is the Kerala government's instrument for poverty eradication under the Local Self-Government Department which has a network of 4,511,834 women members spread over 287,723 neighbourhood groups, producing various products.

The biggest stumbling block of many Kudumbashree units in the state is while their products which include various food items, note books, umbrellas, textile, have quality they are unable to break into the open market in a big way due to constraints in marketing and it's here where the proposed online platform is expected to bring a boost to many units.

Incidentally, the central government started the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises scheme in association with the state governments to give incentives to food processing industries. This scheme is intended to give financial, technical, and business assistance to small food processing enterprises.

The food processing ministry through Atma nirbhar Abhiyan project will be giving Rs 4,30,51,096 as seed capital fund to 1,440 Kudumbashree units in Kerala.

According to the scheme, members of the self-help group will get initial capital up to Rs 40,000, to purchase machines from the PMFME scheme.

Members of the self-help groups involved in the food processing industry are entitled to get 35 per cent of the credit linked capital subsidy subject to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh.