Transforming Livelihoods and Assets through Participatory Approaches: The Kudumbashree in Kerala, India

Abstract

This article explores to what extent decentralized structures can contribute to asset accumulation among disadvantaged groups, and improving livelihood choices. The process of asset accumulation is tied to the wider context of participatory institutions and opportunities within which social actors can transform assets into meaningful livelihood outcomes. Given its level of social development and civil society in the Indian state of Kerala, the Kudumbashree Initiative, an innovative community-based, decentralized participatory structure aims to build meaningful forms of assets at grassroots levels. Such participatory public action, based on social relationships as well as the combined efforts of the state and grassroots community organizations may provide valuable lessons for developing asset accumulation strategies.

Keywords:

• decentralization
• Kudumbashree
• livelihoods
• asset-building
• Kerala

Notes

¹ Panchayat refers to the local level of administrative unit.

²The three tier panchayati raj system comprises of 999 gram panchayats at village level, 152 block panchayats at intermediate level, and 14 zilla panchayats at district level.

³The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), the central government's urban anti-poverty programme and the NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) are overseen by the Kudumbashree network.

⁴The various manifestations of poverty are captured through this approach which highlights a series of combinations of poverty, useful in developing appropriate strategies ( Kudumbashree, 2007), combining both income and non-income indicators.

⁵The 15-point index includes composition and age of group, weekly group meetings, attendance, minutes, participation in group discussion, frequency of savings, savings and loan recovery, style of functioning and group decisions, sanction and disbursement of loans, interest on loans, utilization of savings on loaning, recovery of loans, books of accounts, and bylaws/group rules.

⁶$1.00 is equivalent to 46 Indian Rupees.