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Deputy Commissioner inaugurates Sanitary Napkin Manufacturing unit and vending machine at Chogawan BDPO complex
Chogawan (Amritsar), Jan 29 (Punjab Post Bureau)- The Border City of Amritsar has taken another unique initiative of providing adult diapers to the aged and infirm people at highly subsidized rates by involving local people in manufacturing, packaging and distribution of this product in the district.
As this border district had already registered lead in production of low cost ‘Sanitary Napkins’ in the state besides installing sanitary napkins vending machines in some schools, this would be another welfare initiative of the District Administration to produce subsidized and high quality adult diapers in the state. The brainchild of Deputy Commissioner Mr. Ravi Bhagat, this program will facilitate the aged and infirm people with adult diapers, which will be prepared by Self Help Group being created in villages of border areas. He said that these diapers will be provided on highly subsidized rates.
While inaugurating Sanitary Napkin manufacturing unit and vending machine at a cost of Rs. 4 lakh at Block Development and Panchayats Office at Block Chogawan here, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Ravi Bhagat said that they had introduced infrastructure and launched such products to provide low cost sanitary napkins to girls and women both in urban and rural areas. He said that sanitary napkins were not being adopted by a large section of population in rural and urban areas due to prohibited cost and attitudinal problem. He said that the purpose of District Administration was to take the message of hygiene at grass root level through providing low cost sanitary napkins.
Giving details of this program, Mr. Bhagat said that Administration had engaged schools, panchayats and NGOs to effective execution of program at ground level. He said they have asked panchayats and NGOs in rural areas to create Self Help Groups for installation of Sanitary Napkin vending machines. He said that through Self Help Groups female members could not only get employment but also generate income.
Mr. Bhagat also informed that the District Administration will provide easy credit to panchayats, self help groups for installation of vending machines and starting manufacturing of Sanitary Napkins and adult diapers in their respective areas. He said that Administration was contemplating to install vending machines in each and every government girl schools in the district so that hygienic practices amongst girl students could be ensured. He said that students could easily get these pads at nominal price of Rs. 2 per piece. He said that by inserting a coin of Rs. 5 two pads will be received. He 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.
Deputy Commissioner accompanied by Chairman District Planning Committee Mr. Veer Singh Lopoke informed the gathering that girls and women in rural areas can join the manufacturing unit of Sanitary Napkins. He said that preliminary each group of 50 girls has to start with two hour training to know how to manufacture these napkins. He said that Mathura based professional trainers are being imparted training in this regard at Chogawan and the same will be replicated in other villages too.
Meanwhile Chairman District Planning Committee Mr. Veer Singh Lopoke thanked Mr. Bhagat for executing such unique initiative in the larger public interests. He said that this program will prove a boon for rural population as well as weaker sections of society.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion Mr. Vijay Arora, Assistant General Manager, NITCON, Mr. Sunil Kumar, Manager NITCON, Deputy ESA Mr. Charanjit Singh and principals of various government schools.
