Queues swell as erratic supply hits Re 1 sanitary pads

'Suvidha' fails

Suvidha’ sanitary napkins, introduced as a big measure for improving menstrual hygiene, have remained an unfulfilled promise for women in many villages thanks to the lack of supply.

The government offers the subsidised sanitary pads at Re 1 each at its 632 Jan Aushadi Kendras. However, store managers have flagged erratic supply even as there is a rise in demand.

The napkin packs are bought by women from all sections of society, and not just the poor, because of its affordability but only 50% to 70% of the demand is being met.

“Ever since the price was reduced to Re 1 from Rs 2.5 in August last year, out of the demand of 3.5 lakh sanitary napkins, only 2 lakh to 2.5 lakh are being supplied,” said Anila Kumari B, who takes care of marketing in the state from the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India, the implementing agency for Jan Aushadi Kendras pan India.

Over the past six months, against a demand of 2 lakh pads per month, only 70,000 have been supplied by the Centre, out of which around 35,000 have been disbursed to the stores, said a former store manager of a Mysuru distributor.

Venugopal Rao Mane, a Jan Aushadi Kendra owner in Mathikere, told DH, “We had received around 200 pads 15 days ago. We’ve written to the distributors for more but have not received fresh stocks yet. The supply has been erratic over the past six months.”

There are two distributors in the state for the kendras — one in Bengaluru and the other in Mysuru. A former store manager at Jiiva Raksha Surgicals and Pharmaceuticals, Mysuru, one of the distributors, said, “Outlets can either place the orders with the distributors in the state or with the regional warehouses in Chennai or central warehouse in Gurugram. Out of a demand of 2 to 3 lakh sanitary pads per month, only 30% to 40% is being supplied.”

Anila said that apart from the shortage, other factors like non-payment by store owners was also a reason for erratic supply. “About a hundred outlets are not making payment promptly. They have to be shut down in the state for non-payment,” she said.

Previously, the kendras would get a six-month credit for procuring medicines and sanitary napkins which has been discontinued now as stores started misusing the provision and defaulted on payments to distributors.

“A napkin pack with four pieces is priced at Rs 4. So bulk orders ranging from 5,000 pieces to 1.5 lakh pieces are coming from NGOs and also from those who want to make donations on birthdays to charity organisations. But when the packs costed Rs 10, the demand stayed moderate,” Anila added.