Lok Sabha Question No. 1954 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Menstrual Hygiene Among Adolescent Girls
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.1954

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2021

## MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS

## 1954.  SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has launched any initiatives to ensure menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in rural areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including campaigns, if any, to increase awareness and access to hygiene products;
- (c) the amount of funds allocated and used for the said initiatives/ campaigns, State/ UT-wise including Odisha;
- (d) whether the Government has introduced schemes to increase access to hygiene products by decreasing the price; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e):     Government  is  working  to  improve  menstrual  hygiene  practices  through various Ministries. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW)  has been implementing the Scheme for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years as part of the Reproductive Child Health programme since  2011  and  later  under  the  Rashtriya  Kishor  Swasthya  Karyakram.  The  major objectives  of  the  scheme  are  to  increase  awareness  among  adolescent  girls  on menstrual hygiene, to increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins by adolescent girls and to ensure safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environmentally friendly  manner.  Since  2015-16,  the  procurement  of  sanitary  napkins  and  IEC/  BCC activities for menstrual hygiene are being supported by National Health Mission through the  State  Programme  Implementation  Plans  (PIPs)  route  based  on  the  proposals received from States and UTs. States/ UTs have decentralized procurement of sanitary napkins for ensuring quality standards. The details of funds allocated for promotion of menstrual  hygiene  under  the  National  Health  Mission  by  MHFW  State/  UT  wise, including Odisha, is placed at Annexure.

Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has developed National Guidelines on Menstrual Hygiene Management (NHM) with focus on ensuring provision of functional toilets and availability of safe water.

Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers of Government of India under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janausadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP), provides low cost hygienic oxy-biodegradable sanitary napkins named as Suvidha. The price of the sanitary pads has been reduced from Rs. 4.00 per pad on launch to Rs 1.00 per pad, which is available for sale in more than 7,900 PMBJP Kendras across the country to ensure 'Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha for the underprivileged women of India.

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## Annexure

## Menstrual Hygiene Scheme- NHM Budget approvals for the FY 2021-22  (in Rs lakhs)

| S.No   | States           |   Budget Approved lakhs) | (in Rs   |
|--------|------------------|--------------------------|----------|
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh   |                  1996.19 |          |
| 2      | Assam            |                   151.2  |          |
| 3      | Chhattisgarh     |                   196.51 |          |
| 4      | Delhi            |                    91.2  |          |
| 5      | Goa              |                    11.34 |          |
| 6      | Himachal Pradesh |                    99.45 |          |
| 7      | Kerala           |                   119.7  |          |
| 8      | Ladakh           |                    36    |          |
| 9      | Lakshadweep      |                     7.92 |          |
| 10     | Manipur          |                   116.24 |          |
| 11     | Nagaland         |                     5.69 |          |
| 12     | Odisha           |                  1323.12 |          |
| 13     | Puducherry       |                    36    |          |
| 14     | Punjab           |                  1033.4  |          |
| 15     | Rajasthan        |                  1500    |          |
| 16     | Sikkim           |                     2.42 |          |
| 17     | Telangana        |                   214.8  |          |
| 18     | Tripura          |                    58.19 |          |
| 19     | West Bengal      |                   932.55 |          |
| Total  | Total            |                  7931.92 |          |

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