The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on [15 June 2010] approved a scheme for providing highly subsidised sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in the rural areas to promote menstrual hygiene. The scheme, to be launched in 150 districts across the country in the first phase, will cost Rs. 150 crore [Rs 1.5 billion = US$ 32.2 million] for the current financial year.
Approved by the Mission Steering Group – the highest decision-making body – of the National Rural Health Mission, at its sixth meeting here, the scheme envisages covering 1.5-crore [15 million] girls in the age group of 10-19 years every month. Of this, the approximate number of APL girls is 105 lakh [10.5 million] while that of the BPL category is 45 lakh [4.5 million]. The napkins will be supplied to the below poverty line (BPL) girls at a nominal cost of Rs.1 [2.15 US dollar cents] per pack of six while those girls living above poverty line (APL) will have to pay Rs.5 [10.7 US dollar cents] per pack.
Limited access
In India, menstruation and menstrual practices are clouded by taboos and socio-cultural restrictions for women as well as adolescent girls. Limited access to safe sanitary products and facilities is believed to be one of the reasons for constrained school attendance, high dropout rates and ill health due to infection.
Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan and Puducherry have already taken similar initiatives to promote menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls.
The 150 districts identified in the first phase include 30 from the four southern States, Maharashtra and Gujarat and 120 from northern, central and the north-eastern States. In the first year, the Centre will procure the napkins and supply these to the States that will in turn send these to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) in the districts for distribution on a monthly basis or to the schools which will become distribution points for students.
As an incentive, ASHA will get one pack free every month in addition to Rs.50 [US$ 1] per meeting she holds on a Sunday for creating awareness regarding menstrual hygiene among girls. Subsequently, States can choose to involve self-help groups for manufacturing and marketing sanitary napkins. At least 50 districts with a strong network of SHGs will be involved in the manufacture of napkins in the first phase itself. The ASHAs will procure sanitary napkins from the sub-centre for which she will be given Rs.300 from the untied fund. Each month, ASHA will replenish the imprest fund with the amount collected through the sale of napkins.
Safe disposal
For safe disposal of the napkins at the community level, deep-pit burial or burning are the options being considered. Due environmental clearance has to be obtained from the States for this. Installing incinerators in schools that can be manually operated is another option. Consultations are on with the Ministry of Environment and Forests for use of environment-friendly raw material and disposal mechanism.
States have been given the option of leveraging funds for incinerators through the Total Sanitation Campaign of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
The scheme will be expanded to other districts after the outcome of the first phase is evaluated. In that case, the States will be asked to contribute 15 per cent of the cost. The scheme can also be transferred to the Ministries of Women and Child Development and Rural Development at a later stage for self-financing and self-sustaining that will reduce the budgetary support.
Source: The Hindu, 16 Jun 2010
That’s great to see that sanitary protection will be offered to women so they can actively carry-on their lifestyle even during their period! Women are such an important part of our functioning society that it is unfair to them to have to become dysfunctional as a result of a normal bodily process! The cost of these products will definitely bring up the standard-of-living for families who are not as well off and would not otherwise be able to afford such “prestigious” products!!
i want to be a part of that projects so i want all detail information of that proj.
I want to be a part of this project, so send me the details of that project. if this is not possible so please give me the contact details of low cost napkin supplier.
I am working as a Area Sales Manager with MNC, and my mother is running a saikripa bachat gat, nanded, i she want’s to do good projects and i committed that i will help so, please suggest us and give guidelines to do low cost sanitary napkins project, reply as early as possible.
thanking you,
regards,
Dilipkumar Boinwad,
Nanded.
Hello Sir, i am a public Health person working in the department of Public Health, Iam interested in this project and have planned to implement in our district ie Belgaum. i want to do Phd on the accepbility of these napkins in rural area. so I want to know if there more acceptibilty in that area can the panchayayt implement. and what is the process to apply for it.
Dr.Savita Ransing
Hello sir
I launch project of low cost sanitary napkin production with matoshree bachat gat so if any requirnment of sanitary napkin please give me order and help me and all group of our bachat gat
Dear Sir
Can you kindly send me your email address. I am interested in finding out more about the low cost sanitary towels your ladies are making.
Please reply to robynfri@aol.com
Many thanks
Robyn
We have bulk order
Mensural Sanitation has Become a big Question in this current world. Disposing of Napkins is not done in a proper way.
Now comes a full stop for these Hygiene problems. Disposing Napkins has become more easier than before. This can be done
perfectly without polluting the atmosphere. Our Innovative product The Sanitary Napkin Electrical Incinerator does these.
No doubt for the improvement of women sanitation. The Sanitary Napkin Vending Machine also gives another hand to support
the Development of Women. Let the generation enjoy the benefits of these innovative product.
i, piyush k.sau, implement and running frp project arround 25 years , want to set up one manufacturing unit of low cost sanitary napkin for the urban girl and ladies , which is much necessary for our most back dated in Purba and Paschim Medinipur mainly for most back dated Jangal Mahal Areas including Bankunra ,Purulia in West Bengal . I need detailed Project Report for implementation such type projects. All cooperation from any corner is highly solicited. Thanks
i,Smt Vijayalaxmi D is working for rural peoples health care ,creating awareness in maternal care, life style care for unhealthy people implement and running juvenile diabetic project 8 years , want to set up one manufacturing unit of low cost sanitary napkin for the urban girl and ladies , which is much necessary for our most backward area dated in Karnataka where high incedenc of HIV and sexual transmitted disease I need detailed Project Report for implementation such type projects. All cooperation from any corner is highly solicited. Thanks Smt Vijayalaxmi D
i want to start project of sanitary napkins,plz suggest me low cost project
This is a self-employed enterpreneur woman and am seriously looking for this project for an immediate implementation.
May I therefore request to please provide the complete cost and feasibility details for this project so that we may set up the same and help India grow in rural areas also with much desderved hygiene at low cost and further to assist rural India by earmarking some income earned out of this project for their cause.
Thanks and look forward to hear soon.
Dear Mrs. Khattar,
I am working at a social enterprise, called Leaders’ Quest, that aims to catalyse leadership to have a positive impact in the world. We take senior leaders of multilnationals on our experiential programmes called “Quests” and make them meet with really inspiring and innovative leaders. We facilitate dialogue to help leaders see the value of social purpose alongside financial performance. During my time at Leaders’ Quest i have met and engaged with some of India’s most interesting leaders doing fantastic work to help change the social fabric of this country. with every passing day, i am inspired to make a direct contribution, however small it may be, to help and uplift those who are disadvantaged. The low cost sanitary napkins idea is very appealing to me and i’d love to explore this further.
Could you please tell me if you’ve succeeded in your attempt to start a low cost production centre? I would love to chat with you further about this and get some tips if possible.
Thank you.
I am working at a social enterprise, called Leaders’ Quest, that aims to catalyse leadership to have a positive impact in the world. We take senior leaders of multilnationals on our experiential programmes called “Quests” and make them meet with really inspiring and innovative leaders. We facilitate dialogue to help leaders see the value of social purpose alongside financial performance. During my time at Leaders’ Quest i have met and engaged with some of India’s most interesting leaders doing fantastic work to help change the social fabric of this country. with every passing day, i am inspired to make a direct contribution, however small it may be, to help and uplift those who are disadvantaged.
The low cost sanitary napkins idea is very appealing to me and i’d love to explore this further. I have a few questions around the production and distritubution of low cost sanitary napkins. I would love to chat with you further about this and get some tips if possible.
Thank you.
Please suggest me and give guidelines to do low cost sanitary napkins project, reply as early as possible.