Govt provides ₹133L for napkin-vending machines in Bihar schools

The Women and Child Development Corporation (WCDC) has allocated Rs 133.65 crore to install sanitary napkin vending machines in girls' high schools and colleges in all district headquarters in the state.

For installation of sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators in each district under Menstrual Hygiene and Management (MHM) programme, a list of 243 government schools located in urban areas of all 38 districts will be obtained from Bihar Education Project Board, Patna and sent to all district headquarters.

"This process has already started in many government schools in the state. We expect schools in all district headquarters to have this facility in 2 to 3 months," said Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, chairman-cum-executive director, WCDC, adding government schools will have these provisions by the end of this year.

Through the MHM programme, the society hopes to create a supportive atmosphere for women and adolescent girls in the state by providing accurate information on the importance and methods of safe menstruation management.

In addition, they try to encourage them to use hygienic techniques to manage menstruation. “We have also decided to improve the condition of toilets in government schools, which will lead to an increase in enrollment of girls in schools,” Bamhrah said. The company has also created an action plan in collaboration with other departments.