Kudumbashree Launches Onam Markets Across 83 District CDS

Quick Summary

• The Kudumbashree district mission in Thiruvananthapuram will organize two Onam markets in each of the 83 Community Development Societies (CDS).
• These Onam markets will run for three to five days at the end of August or early September, offering products such as agricultural and livestock goods, pickles, pappadoms, and other value-added items at fair prices.
• Plans are being made for a central food festival in convergence mode.
• A new pocketmart shopping app is set to launch soon; Kudumbashree will offer 5,000 Onam hampers statewide via this platform. Each hamper costs ₹799 plus delivery charges and includes nine items.This initiative aims to generate ₹40 lakh revenue.
• Offline Onam kits priced at ₹750 each will be supplied by every CDS. These kits include 11 products such as chips, spices, payasam mix, pickle, pappadom, and coconut oil packaged uniformly. A minimum sale of 100 kits per CDS is expected to generate a turnover of ₹1 lakh per CDS.
• Orders for conventional “Onasadya” meals from government and private institutions within city Corporation limits are also being planned. Eight units with a common menu will fulfill these orders under likely fixed minimum order quantities.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Kudumbashree initiative demonstrates an innovative approach toward integrating community-driven entrepreneurship into culturally notable celebrations like Onam.By providing platforms such as local markets and online apps like Pocketmart while also facilitating offline sales through standardized product kits, the program stands out as an inclusive model supporting both entrepreneurs and consumers.

beyond economic benefits – including projected revenues of ₹40 lakh from hampers alone – these efforts highlight the potential for leveraging festivals for grassroots-level economic empowerment. The inclusion of traditional “Onasadya” meal orders adds another dimension by tying institutional support directly to commercial activity within the district.

If successfully executed across its various components (markets, app-based hampers, offline sales), this model coudl serve as a template not onyl within Kerala but also across other Indian states aiming to marry cultural heritage with local entrepreneurship effectively.

Read more: Published – July 23, 2025