AI SummaryMaharashtra Sanitary Napkin Scheme 2026 is a state government program that provides sanitary napkins to girls and women at a very low cost. Under Maharashtra Sanitary Pad Yojana, the state govt. makes sanitary pads available at just Rs. 1 to school girls and women from self-help groups (SHGs). These sanitary pads help maintain menstrual hygiene among girls and women across the state. In this article, we will tell you about the complete details of Maharashtra Sanitary Napkins Scheme.
The scheme is being run through the Asmita Yojana, which the state government launched in March 2018. Under this program, a pack of eight sanitary napkins is sold to adolescent school girls for Rs. 5 and to rural women for Rs. 24. The government has also been working on a plan to bring the price of a pack down to Rs. 1 for girl students. In 2023, the state budget set aside Rs. 100 crore for this purpose.
Maharashtra Sanitary Napkin Scheme 2026
On 10 March 2023, Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan told the assembly that the government would roll out a scheme within a month to provide sanitary napkins at a subsidised rate to school girls and women from self-help groups. The minister said the government was considering fixing the price of a packet of sanitary napkins at Rs. 1 for girl students. The earlier Asmita scheme, which provided a packet of 8 menstrual pads at Rs. 5 to rural female students, was discontinued in 2022, and the government planned to restart it.
Earlier on 28 May 2022, the Maharashtra government announced a scheme under which women in the BPL category and those part of self help groups (SHGs) would be provided 8 sanitary napkins at Rs. 1. The order regarding Maharashtra Sanitary Napkin Scheme, issued by the state Rural Development Department, was to be implemented from 15 August 2022 but got delayed. The new Maharashtra Sanitary Pads Scheme was expected to benefit around 60 lakh women in rural areas.
The decision to start the Maharashtra Sanitary Napkins Scheme was taken to make sure of menstrual hygiene among women. The Rural Development Department minister said the decision would help rural women below the poverty line (BPL). At present, girls below the age of 19 can get six sanitary napkins at Rs. 6. But now all women in the BPL segment will be benefited. A machine for disposal of sanitary napkins will be set up in each village. The implementation of the Maharashtra Sanitary Pad Scheme was expected to cost the state government Rs. 200 crore per annum.
Objectives of Maharashtra Sanitary Napkins Scheme
The state government has started this Maharashtra Sanitary Napkin Scheme for the following reasons:
- Spreading awareness about menstrual hygiene among girls and women.
- Promotion of sanitary napkins distribution among women.
- Improvement in access and use of high quality sanitary napkins for adolescent girls in rural areas.
- Safe disposal of sanitary pads in an environmentally friendly manner.
- With the use of sanitary napkins, women can be prevented from various menstrual hygiene related diseases.
Salient Features of Maharashtra Sanitary Pad Yojana
The important features and highlights of this Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) are as follows:
- Under the Maharashtra Sanitary Napkin Scheme 2026, the government provides 8 sanitary pads to the beneficiary women.
- All women who are living below poverty line (BPL category) will be benefited along with those rural women who are a part of self help groups (SHGs).
- Each beneficiary will get eight sanitary pads at just Rs. 1 under the Maharashtra Sanitary Napkin Scheme.
- A machine for machine for disposal of sanitary napkins will also be set up in each village.
- The Maharashtra government will spend Rs. 200 crore every year on the Maharashtra Sanitary Pads Scheme.
- In the Maharashtra Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS), the government will distribute sanitary napkins and spread the hygiene message among women.
NFHS Report 2015-16
As per the National Family Health Survey report (2015-16), only 55% women (15-45 years) use hygiene protection methods during their menstrual periods. In urban areas, the situation is slightly better in comparison to rural areas. Around 78% of women in urban areas and 50% of women in rural areas use sanitary napkins, locally prepared pads and tampons as hygiene methods.
As per the survey reports, 45% women between 15 to 24 years in the state are at higher risk of getting exposed to menstrual hygiene related diseases. Such women can be exposed to fungal infection, urinary tract infection, reproductive tract infection and other health diseases. So to prevent women from menstrual related diseases, the state government has announced the Maharashtra Sanitary Pads Scheme.
Source / Reference Link: https://www.ptinews.com/news/national/maha-to-provide-subsidised-sanitary-napkins-to-girl-students-women-from-shgs-minister/2/528361.html