Sikkim: CM Tamang Officially Launched ‘Bahini Scheme’ to Provide Free Santiary Pad to Girls

GANGTOK: During an Education Department's Outreach program, Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang officially launched ‘Bahini Scheme’ by handing over sanitary pads to students. On the other hand, the scheme seeks to give girls in the state who are enrolled in secondary and senior secondary schools complete access to free and safe sanitary pads.

Moroever, in order to provide convenient access to sanitary pads, the Bahini programme will install vending machines in 210 secondary and senior secondary government schools throughout Sikkim. The Chief Minister further disclosed that the programme would be expanded by installing vending machines in institutions. The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government's flagship programme, Bahini, which aims to empower adolescent girls and fulfil their menstrual hygiene needs, is very significant.

CM Tamang presented a number of additional significant projects throughout the Education Department's Outreach programme in addition to the Bahini plan. A new policy to regularise ad hoc teachers employed under the land donor scheme was one of the major announcements. The CM honoured the generosity of the sixty-six landowners who contributed their property for the development of government schools by appointing them to new jobs.

According to a report, awareness-raising workshops on menstruation health, hygiene, and proper sanitary pad disposal will be held in these schools. In schools without vending machines, distribution will be handled manually by designated female teachers.

It was informed that the State government and CSR contributions would each contribute a portion of the funds needed for the programme.

As per a research, in Sikkim, there are 90 senior secondary schools and 120 secondary schools. 18,665 female students attend these 210 schools overall (9,586 in secondary schools and 9,079 in senior secondary schools).

Of the 355 million women in India, just 12% use sanitary napkins. Due to a lack of appropriate facilities for women to use during their periods, about 23% of adolescent girls leave school. Girls do not have access to working restrooms, clean water, appropriate cleanliness, or disposable facilities in schools.

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