7 months ago
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There are lone 4 months near for the completion of the world twelvemonth 2025-26. But the State authorities is yet to proviso Shuchi kits (sanitary napkin kits) to teen girls aged 10 to 18 successful authorities and aided schools, colleges and hostels nether the menstrual hygiene programme, Shuchi. Tenders to procure these sanitary napkins are inactive nether way.
The scheme, that was discontinued successful 2020 during the pandemic, was resumed successful January 2024, pursuing a High Court order. Sanitary napkins were procured successful 2024-25 without tenders aft availing an exemption nether Section 4G of the Karnataka Transparency successful Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, 1999.
However, this year, the authorities has called tenders for procurement starring to a delay.
Responding to a question raised by Congress MLC Madhu G. Madegowda successful the ongoing Legislature session, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the Cabinet had approved the organisation of sanitary pads nether the Shuchi programme for the twelvemonth 2025-26, and a tender had been called by Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) for the procurement process.
Under the Shuchi scheme, the State authorities distributes 12 Shuchi Kits, each with 10 sanitary napkins, per twelvemonth per student. The State authorities has identified 19,64,507 beneficiaries for the twelvemonth 2025-26, and the strategy is expected to outgo ₹71.83 crore this year.
Students struggle
Meanwhile, the Department provided sanitary pads for schools and colleges successful July and August, 2025, from the pending banal of the procurement from the erstwhile world year, which is present implicit successful astir institutions, forcing students to bargain sanitary napkins retired of their ain pockets.
“This twelvemonth I lone got sanitary pads doubly successful college. When I inquired recently, the assemblage unit told maine that the pads were retired of stock. So, I americium buying pads from my ain money. The authorities should earnestly instrumentality the schemes they announce,” said Ranjitha, a pupil from Bengaluru.
All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has criticised the inordinate hold successful providing sanitary napkins to students. “This negligence highlights the contradictory cognition of the governments. On the 1 hand, the Union authorities champions slogans similar Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, but fails to present indispensable support. On the different hand, the State authorities offers warrant schemes, portion simultaneously withdrawing basal necessities. We powerfully condemn this anti-student cognition of the government,” said Apoorva C.M., Vice President, AIDSO, Karnataka.
Turn to NGOs
With the State authorities not supplying sanitary pads to schools and colleges, galore institutions person turned to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to capable the gaps.
A headmaster of a authorities schoolhouse successful Laggere, Bengaluru, said that their schoolhouse had implicit 150 teen girls, and the Shuchi kits provided by the Department of Health and Family Welfare successful July were over. “A section donor purchased capable sanitary pads for each the girls successful our schoolhouse for a month. We person approached different NGO for pads adjacent month,” helium said.
