Rajasthan govt allots Rs 200 crore for free sanitary napkins under 'I Am Shakti Udaan'

Rajasthan is the first state in the country where such as scheme is being implemented on a large scale, state minister Mamta Bhupesh said

The Rajasthan government has made a provision of Rs 200 crore in the 2022-23 budget to provide free sanitary napkins to women and girls, state minister Mamta Bhupesh said on Friday.

Bhupesh, the women and child development minister, said the 'I Am Shakti Udaan' scheme is being implemented in a phased manner in the entire state.

Rajasthan is the first state in the country where such as scheme is being implemented on a large scale, she told the assembly.

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There has been no change in the size of free sanitary napkins being given to women and girls in rural areas, she said.

Bhupesh said that a budgetary provision of Rs 200 crore has been made in the financial year 2022-23 for the scheme.

Supply orders have been issued to provide free sanitary napkins to over 1.15 crore beneficiaries at 60,361 anganwadi centers in 33 districts, and 26.48 lakh beneficiaries in 34,104 government schools in the state, the minister said.

In the last one year, Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) has provided free sanitary napkins to 26,220 schools in 31 districts, and 31,255 anganwadi centers in 23 districts. A total of Rs 104.78 crore has been spent by RMSCL for the purpose, she said.