State expands free sanitary pad scheme for schoolgirls
Vijayawada: Minister for education and IT Nara Lokesh informed the Legislative Council that the state government is providing free sanitary napkins to girls studying from Classes 7 to 12 in government educational institutions. He was replying to a question raised by MLC Kavali Greeshma in the Council.
The minister stated that the government has been implementing the scheme to ensure better menstrual hygiene among girl students and to reduce absenteeism during menstrual periods.
Earlier, students were provided seven regular-size and three large-size sanitary napkins, but after collecting feedback from beneficiaries, the government revised the distribution to five regular-size and five large-size sanitary pads.
Lokesh also revealed that the previous government had left pending dues of Rs 18.96 crore, which have now been cleared by the present government. Feedback is being collected from students through RTGS and IVRS phone calls to monitor the effectiveness of the scheme. According to the feedback, 96 per cent of girls reported receiving sanitary napkins regularly, while 4% said they were not receiving them.
Regarding quality, 85 per cent of students said the pads were good, 14% rated them as average, and 1 per cent expressed dissatisfaction. On absorption quality, 84% rated them as good, while 14 per cent said they were average and 2 per cent said they were not satisfactory. In terms of size, 89 per cent of students expressed satisfaction, while 11 per cent suggested improvements.
The minister said the government is also examining the possibility of distributing eco-friendly sanitary pads and will collaborate with NGOs to create awareness among adolescent girls. A pilot project of vending machines with smart cards has already been introduced in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), and there are plans to expand it to other schools.
Lokesh further stated that the government would launch awareness campaigns about the HPV vaccine, following the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to dispel misconceptions and promote girls’ health.
