Punjab govt to provide sanitary pad vending machines to schools

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], January 12 (ANI): To promote menstrual hygiene, the Punjab Government will provide sanitary pad vending machines for girls in schools, said an official statement on Monday.
The Punjab School Education Department has taken steps to ensure proper health care of girls studying in the schools and released a grant of Rs. 8.6 crore for 2521 high and senior secondary government schools across the state after the approval of the Education Minister Vijay Indira Singla.
Disclosing this information, Secretary School Education, Krishan Kumar said that with this grant, sanitary pad vending and incinerator machines will be installed for the health care of girls. Under this scheme each school would get a grant of Rs. 32,000.
The Education Secretary said that special measures are being taken by the Education Department for the health care of the girls studying in the schools of the state and the installing of sanitary pad vending and incinerator in the schools is an important step.
On January 7, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced free sanitary pads for high school and college girls.
On August 15, 2020, in his address on the occasion of 74th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted among other things his government's efforts for women empowerment and also broke various taboos against menstruation by speaking about sanitary pads.
"We have worked for women empowerment. Navy and Air Force are taking women in combat. Women are now leaders, and we abolished triple talaq, got sanitary pads to women for just 1 rupee," said PM Modi in his speech.
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat among a few other states have already got free sanitary pads vending machines installed in schools by their respective state governments.
On March 8, 2018, on International Women's Day, Union Minister Ananth Kumar launched 100 percent oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins 'Suvdiha' at low cost.
These napkins cost Rs. 2.50 per pad and were available at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana stores from May 28, 2018. (ANI)