Kudumbashree opens doors for men, starting with BEVCO bottle collection jobs

Thiruvananthapuram: Kudumbashree, long seen as a women-centric initiative, is now extending priority to male relatives of its members for certain jobs.

The move draws from the Vijnana Keralam (Knowledge Kerala) People’s Campaign, which has so far created 45,000 private sector jobs and is now being adapted for temporary recruitment in the public sector. The first such appointments will be at plastic bottle collection counters to be opened in Kerala State Beverages Corporation outlets across the state.

As part of the Vijnana Keralam project, Kudumbashree has taken up the mission of generating one lakh jobs. Initially restricted to women, the scheme was later expanded to include their family members after government intervention.

While Kudumbashree has issued broad guidelines, it has not defined who qualifies as a “relative.” The ambiguity has sparked concerns that the provision could be misused for political patronage, leaving out deserving candidates without Kudumbashree links.

Of the one lakh jobs targeted under Vijnana Keralam, about 45,000 have already been secured through job fairs. However, the share of Kudumbashree women beneficiaries is relatively small, with many positions going to men and other relatives. The minimum monthly salary for such jobs has been fixed at ₹10,000.

At the Beverages Corporation counters, workers will be hired on a daily wage of ₹1,130, with two shifts planned. Male relatives of Kudumbashree members are likely to be considered for the second, night shift.

Kudumbashree has clarified that the priority for male relatives applies only to roles where women are unavailable or face practical difficulties. It maintains that the overall aim is to maximise employment opportunities.

Kudumbashree today has a membership strength of 48 lakh women across Kerala.