Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Scheme 2024 for Women Hygiene & Employment by Central Govt.

Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Scheme 2024: Central govt. has launched the Ujjwala Sanitary Napkins Initiative for women in Odisha. Under this scheme, all the women will get access to hygiene products along with employment opportunities in every district of the state. This scheme of Union govt. will be a counter of the state-run Khushi Scheme in which Odisha govt. provides free sanitary napkins to female students of govt. and govt. aided schools in the state.

What is Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Scheme 2024

In 1st phase of Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Initiative, oil marketing companies will setup around 100 local manufacturing units. OMCs will setup these units at common service centers (CSCs) across 93 blocks in 30 districts in Odisha. Common Service Centres (CSCs) are facilities which are set up to deliver govt. e-services in rural and remote locations.

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report, the overall usage of sanitary napkins in Odisha is 33.5% which is quite low. So, central govt. wants to make usage of sanitary napkins into a mass movement.

Ujjwala Sanitary Napkins Initiative Launch by Central Govt.

The central govt. has started Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Scheme to promote hygiene and providing job opportunities to women. Each manufacturing unit would be setup at an approx. cost of Rs. 2.94 crore. Each pack will comprise of 8 sanitary pads for which the cost is Rs. 42 per pack. Moreover, each manufacturing unit will employ 5 or 6 Ujjwala beneficiaries. So, this initiative will provide employment to nearly 600 women across all the districts.

Ujjwala Sanitary Napkin Scheme to Make Women Self Reliant

All the women will first receive training in manufacturing and sale of sanitary napkins. This initiative will provide opportunities to women to earn between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 15,000 per month. This scheme is going to make women self reliant as the previous measures of distributing money to women through revolving funds is insufficient.

Menstrual Hygiene through Ujjwala Sanitary Pad Scheme

Ujjwala Sanitary Napkins Initiative will raise the overall usage of sanitary napkins in women and will promote women hygiene. This initiative will provide an opportunity to all the ujjwala beneficiaries to earn in poor and rural areas. Now such ujjwala scheme beneficiaries can earn in the hours saved from no longer having to cook on firewood.

At each center, around 5 women would be involved in production and another 5 in marketing. Around 35 lakh women have been benefited by Ujjwala Yojana and now this number could reach upto 45 lakh women. Each facility can produce between 1200 to 2000 pads per days.

Making of Sanitary Napkins

Sanitary pads would be made from biodegradable substances like virgin wood pulp sheet, non-woven white sheet and a gel sheet. Moreover, sterilisation rooms would be setup at units to ensure that the products are packed in a hygienic manner.

Source / Reference Link: https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/odisha-bhubaneswar-dharmendra-pradhan-launches-ujjwala-sanitary-napkin-scheme-menstrual-hygiene-29341/