Kudumbashree Organisation Structure

Kudumbashree was conceived as a joint programme of the Government of Kerala and Nabard implemented through Community Development Societies (CDSs) of Poor Women, serving as the community wing of Local Governments. Kudumbashree is formally registered as the "State Poverty Eradication Mission" (SPEM), a society registered under the Travancore Kochi Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act 1955. The official structure is a three tier system.

The Three-Tier Framework of Kudumbashree, Community based organisation (CBO)

A. Neighbourhood Group (NHG)
The lowest tier constitutes The Neighbourhood Group consisting of 10-20 women members from economically backward families. They conduct weekly meeting to collect their thrift and also recycle back to the groups through loans. The NHG has five internally selected office bearers: President, Secretary, IGA volunteer, Health & Education Volunteer and Infrastructure volunteer

B. Area Development Society (ADS)
The second tier is the Area Development Society, which is formed at ward level by federating all the NHGs in the ward. The activities of the ADS are decided by the representatives of the women elected from various NHGs. The society consist of a general body, consisting of all the office bearers of NHGs and an executive committee of seven members elected by the general body.

C. Community Development Society (CDS)
At the Panchayat / Municipal level a Community Development Society (CDS), a registered body under the Travancore-Cochin Literacy Scientific and Charitable Societies Act is formed by federating all ADSs in the Panchayats. The CDS has a general body consisting of all the governing members of all ADSs and an executive committee which includes representatives of each ADS. Also a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson is elected within the CDS by the executive committee.

The state mission (SPEM) has 14 district mission offices one each in every district. The district mission office consists of District Mission Block coordinators, Assistant District Mission Block coordinators and Support staff. The Block coordinators act as a central link to liaison between the District mission office and CDS.

The project will deal with the development and training of the block coordinators for Mahila Kisan Sashakthikaran Pariyojana, MKSP (8 persons) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, DDU-GKY (8 persons) and district mission office staff (20-22 persons).