Ahead Of International Women’s Day, Odisha Government Launches ‘Khushi’ Scheme To Provide Free Sanitary Pads To 17 Lakh Students

New Delhi: India is home to 355 million menstruating women, out of which mere 12 per cent use a sanitary napkin, while a whopping 88 per cent rely on sand, husk and unsanitised cloth. In Odisha alone, as per the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, 53 per cent women use unhygienic methods and around 69 per cent women use cloth. Amidst such dire scenario, Odisha government, as part of its initiatives to empower women, on Monday launched scheme Khushi in a bid to provide free sanitary napkins to government and government-aided school across the state and benefit approximately 17 lakh girls.

Also Read: Meet The Others Who Too Can Be The PadMan Or PadWoman Of India

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched this scheme for girl students from Class 6 to12, speaking at the launch event he added,

In continuation of our pro-women initiative, I am happy to announce “Khushi” universal provisioning of free sanitary napkins to all 17 lakh girls in government and government-aided schools from Class 6 to 12.

In continuation of our pro-women initiatives, I am happy to announce KHUSHI provisioning of free sanitary napkins to all 17 lakh girls in Government & Aided schools from Class 6-12; expand social marketing of napkins for women & girls in the community at subsidized rates 1/3 pic.twitter.com/nG45vnQdpn

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) February 26, 2018

He further said,

I am sure this step will go a long way in promoting health and hygiene among school going adolescent girls leading to higher retention in school and greater empowerment of women.

I am sure this step will go a long way in promoting health and hygiene among school going adolescent girls leading to higher retention in school and greater empowerment of women 2/3

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) February 26, 2018

Also Read: Menstrual Hygiene As The Focus, Maharashtra Works Towards Awareness And Access To Sanitary Napkins For Every Woman

Scheme Khushi is being implemented by the health and family welfare department of the state at a cost of 70 crore per year.

Apart from scheme Khushi, the Odisha government will also provide sanitary napkins to rural women at subsidised rates through ASHA workers. The price at which the sanitary napkins will be available is Rs 6 for six napkins.

This is not the first time the Odisha government has taken a step to improve menstrual hygiene in the state. The government has been working towards it since 2016, some of the past campaigns that have been launched are Project Shakti and MAMTA.

Mr Patnaik signs off by saying that women have always been the focal point of development projects in Odisha.

Also Read: With Sanitation Report Cards And Swachh Walls As Their Weapons, Children From Odisha Slums Fight Open Defecation