Deputy Commissioner inaugurates First Sanitary Napkin machine at Government School, Mall Road

Amritsar, Jan 13 (Punjab Post Bureau)- The Holy City Amritsar today became the first city in the state to install low cost Sanitary Napkins vending machine with the first machine has been installed in Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Mall Road.  The vending machine was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Mr. Ravi Bhagat and Dr. Tarundeep Kaur in the presence of IAS Preeti Yadav, Incharge Nari Niketan Kirtpreet Kaur, Principal Mandeep Kaur, school staff and students.  This unique initiative aimed at ensuring and providing hygienic practices amongst girl students in order to prevent leave taken by them during menstrual period as well as preventing infections and promoting hygiene. A machine has been installed at a cost of Rs. 3.60 lakh, where 15 inmates of Nari Niketan were working to make these napkins with a output of 300 per day. While talking to media persons after inaugurating the machine, Mr. Bhagat said that the district administration was contemplating to install such machines in all Government Schools from where girls can easily get napkins at a nominal cost of Rs. 2 per piece. He said that they have started Sanitary Napkin Making Project has been converged with Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign to curtail drop-out ratio of girls. Answering a query, Mr. Bhagat said that as per the plan formulated by the administration these self-made napkins will be distributed amongst slum-dwellers free of cost besides ensuring availability to the girls of poor rural and urban households across the district through vending machines installed at various government schools.  He said that with this initiative, they aim to bridge the gap between the health options of the rural and urban girls vis-à-vis creating a strong social impact and remove unnecessary barriers hindering their progress.

          Divulging details of napkins, Mr. Bhagat said that these pads were aptly called “NAARI V – CARE”, where NAARI stands for “Nari Niketan and Red Cross Initiative”.  He said that these pads are being made in-house by the inmates of the Care Home, Nari Niketan, with the help of specially designed pad making machines. He said that the price of per piece was Rs. 2 while the packet of five napkins will be made available at Rs. 10. Mr. Bhagat also informed that the manufacturing of these pads will also provide a good employment option and money earning source to the women besides empowering them. He said that this unique skill set added to their kitty, the girls will be able to generate a good livelihood for themselves, as a part of the sale proceeds will go to them.