Alappuzha: The Kerala government is exploring a ‘Kudumbashree 2.0’ initiative to modernise the State's flagship women's empowerment programme and help its members move into new and innovative areas of enterprise, Local Self-Government Minister K M Shaji said on Thursday.

Shaji was speaking after inaugurating the State-level ‘Onam with Kudumbashree’ marketing fair at Alappuzha Beach. Kudumbashree, the State-backed poverty eradication and women's empowerment programme operating through women-led self-help groups, has empowered women to recognise their identity and become self-reliant, Shaji said.

He said the programme needed to evolve with changing times and that the proposed Kudumbashree 2.0 would focus on equipping women with new skills and creating opportunities for higher incomes.

“Greater importance should be given to entrepreneurship development so that women's employment skills can be enhanced and they can earn higher incomes,” he said.

Shaji urged Kudumbashree members to move beyond traditional enterprises and explore emerging sectors based on innovative ideas. He also stressed the need to encourage younger generations to take over the programme and bring their ideas and perspectives into its future.

The minister said Kudumbashree should develop the knowledge and skills needed to enter diverse employment sectors and emerge as a confident collective capable of playing a leading role in society.

He also said the focus should be on gender justice rather than merely gender equality.

“Gender justice does not mean merely standing alongside men through gender equality. It means providing women opportunities to stand alongside men, or even above them, based on their abilities,” he said.

Shaji said the Onam marketing fairs being held across Kerala demonstrated Kudumbashree's continued contribution to society. He called for closer cooperation between Kudumbashree and local self-government institutions to accelerate women's empowerment and development initiatives.

MLA G Sudhakaran, who presided over the function, said Kudumbashree was a source of prosperity for families and urged its members to remain committed to its core values.

MLA A D Thomas said Kudumbashree had played a major role in making women self-reliant and contributing to Kerala's development.

The Onam marketing fairs will be held across the State until August 25. More than 2,000 fairs are being organised at the district and Community Development Society levels, with around 50,000 women entrepreneurs expected to participate.

The fairs aim to expand markets for local products and increase the income of women entrepreneurs. Onam sadhya and Onam kit sales are also being organised through Kudumbashree CDSs across the State.

Kudumbashree products can also be purchased online through the Pocketmart application, which offers more than 300 products. The fairs will also feature food and payasam festivals and various cultural programmes until August 25.