Menstrual Hygiene Among Adolescent Girls

Government is working to improve menstrual hygiene practices through various Ministries. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) has been implementing the Scheme for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years as part of the Reproductive Child Health programme since 2011 and later under the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram. The major objectives of the scheme are to increase awareness among adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene, to increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins by adolescent girls and to ensure safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environmentally friendly manner. Since 2015-16, the procurement of sanitary napkins and IEC/ BCC activities for menstrual hygiene are being supported by National Health Mission through the State Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) route based on the proposals received from States and UTs. States/ UTs have decentralized procurement of sanitary napkins for ensuring quality standards. The details of funds allocated for promotion of menstrual hygiene under the National Health Mission by MHFW State/ UT wise, including Odisha, is placed at Annexure.

Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has developed National Guidelines on Menstrual Hygiene Management (NHM) with focus on ensuring provision of functional toilets and availability of safe water.

Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers of Government of India under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janausadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP), provides low cost hygienic oxy-biodegradable sanitary napkins named as Suvidha. The price of the sanitary pads has been reduced from Rs. 4.00 per pad on launch to Rs 1.00 per pad, which is available for sale in more than 7,900 PMBJP Kendras across the country to ensure ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha for the underprivileged women of India.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Annexure

Menstrual Hygiene Scheme- NHM Budget approvals for the FY 2021-22 (in Rs lakhs)