Lok Sabha Question No. 4132 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Menstrual Hygiene
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: P.P. Chaudhary, Arjunlal Meena, Kaushal Kishore, Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN- STARRED QUESTION NO. 4132

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2021

## MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

4132 . SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA:

SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE:

SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  initiative  taken  by  the  Ministry  to  ensure  menstrual  hygiene  among adolescent girls by creating hygiene awareness indicating all the schemes being implemented by the Government in this regard, State/UT-wise;
- (b) the funds allocated and utilised under these schemes during the last three years, State/UT-wise and year-wise;
- (c) the  challenges  faced  by  the  agencies  in  the  implementation  of  these schemes;
- (d) whether the government has coordinated with various States, NGOs, local self Government institution and educational institutes to raise awareness in this regard;
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the financial assistance provided by her Ministry in this regard during the last five years; and
- (f) whether  the  Ministry  has  commissioned/supported  any  research  in  this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (b): Government has taken appropriate measures to improve menstrual hygiene practices through the schemes/ interventions of various Ministries/ Departments.    Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  implements  the  Scheme  for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene since 2011 to increase awareness among adolescent girls, to increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls and  to  ensure  safe  disposal  of  Sanitary  Napkins  in  an  environmentally  friendly manner.  Further,  teachers and Front line Workers - Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (FLWANMs),  Accredited  Social  Health  Activist  (ASHA)  worker  and  AWWs  are  oriented appropriately in  the  scheme  with  the  budget  provided  for  the  same  under  Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK).

Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  and  Sanitation  under  Swachh  Bharat  Abhiyan  has developed National Guidelines on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) for creating awareness  on  Menstrual  Hygiene  Management  (MHM)  in  rural  areas  as  part  of  its overall interventions related to behaviour change on sanitation hygiene aspect.   Further,  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  implements  an integrated scheme  namely 'Samagra Shiksha' under which State specific projects for varied interventions on menstrual health and hygiene including installation of sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators are sanctioned. Ministry of Woman and Child Development implements the scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) under which one of the component is improving their health and nutritional status  and to motivate them to go back to formal schooling.

Department  of  Pharmaceutical,  Ministry  of  Chemicals  and  Fertilizers  under  the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janausadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP), provides Oxobiodegradable sanitary napkins named Suvidha.

Details of State/UT wise funds allocated and utilised under NHM scheme of MoH&FW and SAG of MWCD  in the past three years are annexed at Annexure-I & II

(c)  :   As  per  information  provided  by  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare,  the following issues have been faced by States:

- i. Delay in the procurement process /tendering
- ii. Inability to cover majority of the adolescent girls due to limited funds
- iii. Timely and uninterrupted distribution to all beneficiaries
- iv. Adequate capacity building of the ASHAs/ teachers and AWW
- v. Availability of safe disposal mechanisms.

(d) to (e): The above initiatives/ Schemes are implemented through the States/ UTs by involving Development Partners, NGOs and community etc.

(f)       Department  of  Health  Research  under  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare (MoHFW) carries  out  research  and  studies  to  look  into  the  newer  methods  of managing menstrual health and other sustainable alternatives to sanitary napkins for their safety, acceptability, affordability, efficacy and feasibility among women in public health program setting.

*****

## Annexure-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) TO THE LOK SABHA  U N-STARRED QUESTION NO.4132  FOR 19.03.2021 ASKED BY                                   SH RI P.P. CHAUDHARY,  SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA, SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE AN D  SHRI JAYANT SINHA REGARDING 'MENSTRUAL HYGIENE'

State-wise SPIP Approvals & Expenditure for the component Drugs and Supplies for RKSK (Sanitary napkins procurement) under NHM  for the F.Ys. 2017-18 to 2019-20

(Rs. In Lakhs)

| S. No.                   | Name of the States/UTs   | 2017-18                  | 2017-18                  | 2018-19                  | 2018-19                  | 2019-20                  | 2019-20                  |
|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| S. No.                   | Name of the States/UTs   | SPIP Approvals           | Expenditure              | SPIP Approvals           | Expenditure              | SPIP Approvals           | Expenditure              |
| A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     | A. High Focus States     |
| 1                        | Bihar                    | 183.45                   | -                        | -                        | -                        | 957.6                    | 0.61                     |
| 2                        | Chhattisgarh             | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 3                        | Himachal Pradesh         | 266.0                    | 155.17                   | -                        | -                        | 385.17                   | 464.69                   |
| 4                        | Jammu &Kashmir           | 118.06                   | 53.44                    | -                        | -                        | 102.72                   | 109.99                   |
| 5                        | Jharkhand                | -                        | 0.78                     | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 6                        | Madhya Pradesh           | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | 107.25                   | 23.33                    |
| 7                        | Orissa                   | 502.95                   | 428.5                    | 804.09                   | 770.49                   | 382.23                   | 778.08                   |
| 8                        | Rajasthan                | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | 3,000                    | 1,494.81                 |
| 9                        | Uttar Pradesh            | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 10                       | Uttarakhand              | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | 134.06                   | -                        |
|                          | Sub Total                | 1,070.46                 | 637.89                   | 804.09                   | 770.49                   | 5,069.03                 | 2,871.51                 |
| B. NE States             | B. NE States             | B. NE States             | B. NE States             | B. NE States             | B. NE States             | B. NE States             | B. NE States             |
| 11                       | Arunachal Pradesh        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 12                       | Assam                    | 390.7                    | -                        | -                        | 223.93                   | 288.62                   | -                        |
| 13                       | Manipur                  | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | 116.2                    | 116.2                    |
| 14                       | Meghalaya                | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 15                       | Mizoram                  | 4.53                     | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 16                       | Nagaland                 | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 17                       | Sikkim                   | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        | -                        |
| 18                       | Tripura                  | -                        | 35.11                    | -                        | -                        | -                        | 4.99                     |
|                          | Sub Total                | 395.23                   | 35.11                    | -                        | 223.93                   | 404.82                   | 121.19                   |
| C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States | C. Non-High Focus States |

| 19                  | Andhra Pradesh           | 404.05              | -                   | 407.81              | 500.0               | -                   | 407.81              |
|---------------------|--------------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| 20                  | Goa                      | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 21                  | Gujarat                  | 358.01              | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 22                  | Haryana                  | 489.3               | -                   | 196.9               | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 23                  | Karnataka                | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 24                  | Kerala                   | 66.50               | 66.50               | 26.60               | 26.60               | 119.70              | -                   |
| 25                  | Maharashtra              | 766.08              | -                   | 531.45              | -                   | 100.0               | 414.24              |
| 26                  | Punjab                   | 140.0               | 0.62                | -                   | -                   | -                   | 77.66               |
| 27                  | Tamil Nadu               | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 28                  | Telangana                | 284.74              | 1.40                | 273.8               | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 29                  | West Bengal              | 456.26              | 233.96              | -                   | -                   | 756.65              | -                   |
|                     | Sub Total                | 2,964.94            | 302.48              | 1,436.56            | 526.60              | 976.35              | 899.71              |
| D. Small States/UTs | D. Small States/UTs      | D. Small States/UTs | D. Small States/UTs | D. Small States/UTs | D. Small States/UTs | D. Small States/UTs | D. Small States/UTs |
| 30                  | Andaman& Nicobar Islands | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 31                  | Chandigarh               | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 32                  | Dadra &Nagar Haveli      | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 33                  | Daman &Diu               | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 34                  | Delhi                    | -                   | -                   | 82.08               | -                   | 97.96               | 42.70               |
| 35                  | Lakshadweep              | 14.40               | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   |
| 36                  | Puducherry               | -                   | -                   | -                   | -                   | 36.00               | -                   |
| Sub Total           | Sub Total                | 14.40               | -                   | 82.08               | -                   | 133.96              | 42.70               |
| Grand Total         | Grand Total              | 4,445.03            | 975.49              | 2,322.73            | 1,521.02            | 6,584.16            | 3,935.12            |

Annexure-II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) TO THE LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.4132 FOR 19.03.2021 ASKED BY                               SHRI  P.P.  CHAUDHARY,   SHRI  ARJUN  LAL  MEENA,  SHRI KAUSHAL  KISHORE  AND   SHRI  JAYANT  SINHA  REGARDING  'MENSTRUAL HYGIENE'

State/UT  wise  funds  allocated  and  utilised  under  Scheme  for  Adolescent  Girl  (SAG)  of Ministry of Women & Child Development  in the past three years

(Rs. in lakh)

| Sl.No.   | States/UT         | 2017-18   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2018-19   | 2019-20   | 2019-20   |
|----------|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Sl.No.   | States/UT         | Released  | Utilised  | Released  | Utilised  | Released  | Utilised  |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 2259.52   | 2050.18   | 1011.98   | 139.57    | 127.39    | 65.24     |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 87.96     | 42.76     | 0         | 18.44     | 33.71     | -         |
| 3        | Assam             | 341.92    | 0         | 0         | 774.51    | 488.62    | 1594.47   |
| 4        | Bihar             | 4003.74   | 2742.76   | 25.54     | 686.12    | 582.91    | 23.78     |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 2792.61   | 1795.87   | 724.75    | 61.7      | 48.4      | -         |
| 6        | Goa               | 302.77    | 302.76    | 0.4       | 0.2       | 43.03     | 0.1       |
| 7        | Gujarat           | 2690.09   | 2936.5    | 5092.44   | 1514.03   | 1937.79   | 2447.4    |
| 8        | Haryana           | 589.97    | 363.75    | 37.41     | 44.71     | 70.56     | 22.19     |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh  | 1129.42   | 371.94    | 0         | 9         | 0         | -         |
| 10       | Jammu & Kashmir   | 255.91    | 26.67     | 560.39    | 234.4     | 46.53     | -         |
| 11       | Jharkhand         | 1495.55   | 154.54    | 0         | 0         | 254.39    | -         |
| 12       | Karnataka         | 2466.93   | 1819.93   | 923.76    | 880.33    | 1253.33   | 37.63     |
| 13       | Kerala            | 692.91    | 632.13    | 289.74    | 3.43      | 1.08      | 2.25      |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh    | 8641.18   | 7125.7    | 5442.4    | 2810.48   | 1118.38   | 2124.8    |
| 15       | Maharashtra       | 3995.68   | 3530.7    | 3536.78   | 2715.98   | 925.32    | 569.73    |
| 16       | Manipur           | 170.28    | 62.34     | 0         | 107.28    | 96.86     | 2.71      |
| 17       | Meghalaya         | 528.83    | 540.36    | 12.55     | 25.92     | 1278.81   | 1277.49   |
| 18       | Mizoram           | 123.95    | 123.15    | 69.32     | 69.32     | 13.56     | 4.98      |
| 19       | Nagaland          | 193.14    | 131.01    | 214.3     | 139.36    | 223.29    | 66.74     |
| 20       | Odisha            | 2442.6    | 2345.4    | 866.77    | 0         | 72.6      | -         |
| 21       | Punjab            | 40.6      | 440.65    | 26.3      | 43.13     | 0         | -         |
| 22       | Rajasthan         | 39.38     | 0         | 0         | 59.39     | 0         | 130.35    |
| 23       | Sikkim            | 15.42     | 27.45     | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu        | 3196.22   | 1556.44   | 0         | 32.28     | 95.48     | 16.93     |
| 25       | Telangana         | 81.4      | 0         | 107.49    | 0         | 151.54    | 0         |
| 26       | Tripura           | 674.38    | 228.06    | 19.16     | 136.28    | 32.27     | 20.03     |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh     | 4486.13   | 4815.01   | 1000.35   | 0         | 1827.57   | 2798.24   |
| 28       | Uttaranchal       | 3.3       | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | -         |
| 29       | West Bengal       | 282.47    | 992.63    | 101.85    | 0         | 126.72    | -         |
| 30       | A &NIslands       | 51.35     | 15.52     | 3.18      | 0.19      | 1.02      | -         |
| 31       | Chandigarh        | 12.68     | 5.81      | 2.33      | 1.66      | 2.46      | -         |
| 32       | Daman &Diu        | 14.14     | 14.07     | 4.53      | 4.53      | 3.87      | -         |
| 33       | D&NH              | 16.44     | 12.64     | 4.94      | 0         | 0.42      | -         |
| 34       | Delhi             | 490.19    | 570.32    | 320.48    | 18.29     | 12.84     | 27.11     |
| 35       | Lakshadweep       | 11.65     | 2.82      | 3.11      | 0.12      | 0.07      | 0.02      |
| 36       | Pondicherry       | 8.81      | 4.74      | 1.63      | 0.04      | 0         | 245.18    |
|          | Total             | 44629.52  | 35784.61  | 20403.88  | 10530.69  | 10870.82  | 11477.37  |

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