AP government to distribute free sanitary napkins to girls | Fusion - WeRIndia

Many adolescent girls are not able to afford sanitary napkins. As a result, they do not attend school during their menstruation. In this context, the central government launched a scheme for girls to create awareness on hygienic menstrual health practices. It also provides funds to state governments to buy sanitary pads for girls.

The scheme has been implementing by different state governments under various names. The Delhi government started implementing it from April 2019, under the name of Udaan.

Now, the Andhra Pradesh government launched the Swechcha programme to conduct sessions on menstrual health. This programme also aimed to provide free sanitary napkins to adolescent girls studying class 7 to class 12 in government schools and colleges.

As per the official release, the state government is going to distribute 10 free sanitary napkins per month to adolescent girls.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy after launching the programme said that the government has been taking various measures to improve hygiene in government educational institutions. These include improving toilets, providing water facilities, renovating schools, and offering free sanitary pads to adolescent girls.

In the first phase, around 15,000 schools are chosen for renovation and the remaining schools will be renovated gradually in a phased-manner by 2023.

In addition to that, menstrual hygiene sessions will also be conducted for girls. Girls will learn hygienic menstrual practices and proper disposal of sanitary pads in these sessions. The government also provides dustbins and incinerators for this under Clean Andhra Pradesh (CLAP) programme.

The CM also said that awareness will be created on Disha App and Disha Act by the women police. Joint Collectors will mentor the orientation programmes. For these programmes, there will be a nodal officer as well.

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