Kerala's Kudumbashree: 134 contractual staff, mostly women, face uncertain future as contracts end

As many as 134 contractual staff under the Kudumbashree mission's Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) scheme are facing an uncertain future after the government decided not to renew their contracts, which expired on June 30. Of these, 118 are women.

The DAY-NULM, aimed at reducing poverty and vulnerability among urban poor households, was launched in Kerala in May 2015, with Kudumbashree as the nodal agency. The Union government had communicated to states that the existing administrative structure under DAY-NULM, which closed in September 2024, could be retained for continuity as it transitions to a new scheme, Deendayal Jan Aajeevika Yojana-Shehari (DJAY-S). A pilot project of DJAY-S was implemented in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi until December 31, 2025.

The Union government had clarified that expenditure during the transition period until approval of the new mission could be proposed for recoupment. Owing to insufficient funds under DAY-NULM, salary expenses from October 2025 were met as an interim arrangement from the Kudumbashree Convergence Scheme Account. This was recouped in May 2026 from unspent DJAY-S funds. Since ₹3.57 crore remained under the Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) in the state, Kudumbashree was directed on June 24 to use its central share for salary expenses from June to August. However, a day later, this permission was revised to cover only June salaries.

Though the contracts of staff appointed on an annual basis had expired in March, they were extended until the end of June. On June 30, an order extended their contracts further till September 30, but the contracts of those under NULM/DJAY-S were not renewed.

The affected staff said they had met United Democratic Front (UDF) ministers to press for at least an extension to ensure a dignified exit instead of abrupt termination. At least 50 of them are the sole earning members of their families. Nine are above 50 years of age, making it difficult to find alternative employment. Sixty-four are in the 30-40 age group, and 58 in the 40-50 age group. A majority of the 134 draw only ₹15,000 per month. The staff also noted that they belong to various political affiliations, not just the Left.

There are fears that this may be the beginning of further contract terminations, with other contractual staff facing a similar fate.