Odisha receives highest amount of central funds under Menstrual Hygiene Scheme: Centre

The Health Ministry has divided the States and UTs under four categories for distribution of funds under the “high priority scheme” of the central government.

New Delhi: Odisha has been provided with the highest amount of central funds under the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) among high-focused states. Informing this in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said that an amount of Rs 1,323.12 lakh has been sanctioned for Odisha in 2021-22, whereas Rajasthan was the second State receiving the highest amount of central funds under MHS scheme last year.

The Health Ministry has divided the States and UTs into four categories for distribution of funds under the “high priority scheme” of the central government. Assam has received an amount of Rs 151.2 lakh in 2021-22 followed by Manipur Rs 116.24 lakhs under the Northeast States. Under the category of non-high focus States, Andhra Pradesh got the maximum amount of Rs 1996.2 lakhs and Punjab received Rs 1116.0 lakhs in 2021-22.

Under the category of UTs and small States, Delhi received Rs 91.20 lakhs in 2021-22 followed by Puducherry and Ladakh received Rs 36.00 lakh in 2021-22. As per statistics provided by the health minister, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of beneficiaries of 14878335 under MHS scheme followed by Andhra Pradesh 11680448 and Odisha with 5827548 beneficiaries.

The health ministry has also opened PM Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through dedicated outlets. Pawar further informed that no policy measures exist to ensure access to menstrual hygiene for transgender menstruating men.

“Menstrual Hygiene Scheme is reviewed by the Government in the review meetings with the States and UTs. The scheme is also reviewed along with the other programmes and schemes under the National Health Mission by the Common Review Mission teams which visit the selected States and UTs annually,” the health minister said