Mumbai (Maharashtra): The Maharashtra Government on the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day on Saturday announced that it will launch a scheme under which women belonging to the BPL category and those who are members of self-help groups will be provided 10 sanitary napkins at the cost of only Rs. 1.
Announcing the decision, State Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif said that the scheme will be implemented from August 15 adding that it will benefit 60 lakh women living in rural areas of the State. He also said that the decision to launch the scheme was taken to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
The Minister said that currently, girls below the age of 19 can avail of six sanitary napkins at the cost of Rs 6 adding that now all women belonging to the BPL category will benefit from the scheme.
"The decision will help rural women below the poverty line (BPL), At present, girls below the age of 19 can avail of six sanitary napkins at Rs 6. But now all women in the BPL segment will be benefited. A machine for disposal of sanitary napkins will be set up in each village," Mushrif said. As for the estimated expenditure for implementing the scheme, Mushrif said that the State Government will have to spend Rs 200 crore annually.
