Bhubaneswar, February 27: Padman wave seeping in the corners of India as after Uttarakhand, Odisha planning to launch a scheme which will provide sanitary napkins free of cost to girl students of government and government-aided schools in the state.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced about the decision to provide sanitary napkins free of cost.
According to the scheme named as Khushi, around 17 lakh girl students from Class VI to XII will be benefited. Besides, the state government will also expand social marketing of sanitary napkins for women and girls in the community at a subsidised rate, the CM said.
“I am sure this step will go a long way in promoting health and hygiene among school going adolescent girls leading to higher retention in schools and greater empowerment of women,” CM Naveen said.
Girl students in Odisha get free bicycles, school uniforms and books from the state government. Stating that his government is committed towards empowerment of women, the chief minister said, “From Mission Shakti to Mamata and 50% reservation women have been the focal point of all our key interventions.”