Rural girls to get free sanitary napkins in Tamil Nadu

In order to promote personal hygiene among young rural girls, Tamil Nadu launched distribution of free sanitary napkins to girls in the age group of 10 to 19 in all the villages.

In a statement issued here Friday by the government, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has ordered distribution of free sanitary napkins to young girls as well as lactating mothers and women prisoners across the state at an annual outlay of Rs.44.21 crore.

A girl in a government school in Coimbatore collecting sanitary napkins from an automatic vending machine installed in the campus (Photo: Senthil Kumaran)

The project would involve an annual outlay of Rs.44.21 crore.

As per the scheme three bags containing six napkins each would be given to young rural girls once in two months.

The bags will be given to the students through their teachers and to lactating mothers (seven bags each containing six napkins) through nurses in the primary health centres.

Women prisoners will get three bags of six napkins each once in two months.

This apart the government has ordered supply of one iron and folic acid tablet to young girls and a deworming tablet once in six months. - IANS