In order to instil confidence and empower the girls/women by promoting safe menstrual health hygiene, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma on Friday launched the state government's ambitious Udaan program in the district under which free sanitary pads would be given to school drop-outs/out of school girls or needy women every month.
Participating in the virtual state-level program presided over by Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Aruna Chaudhary on the occasion of International Menstrual Hygiene Day, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that nine sanitary pads would be delivered to each beneficiary per month through Anganwari workers.He said that school drop-out/out of school girls, young women not attending college, women from BPL families, women of slum areas/homeless women, migratory women, and every needy woman who are not covered under any scheme would-be beneficiary of this program.The Deputy Commissioner said that this program would help to bring out of school/drop-out girls back in academics as it would boost their confidence in completing their daily chores during menstruation and ensure their personal development.He said that Ludhiana has 2487 Anganwari centers in the district and nearly 4500 Anganwari workers and helpers who would be instrumental in making the program a huge success.He added that Anganwari workers and helpers would ensure the registration of the beneficiaries under the scheme to ensure sanitary pads can be delivered every month on time.He said that the scheme would bring awareness among girls and women about safe menstrual health hygiene with easy access of sanitary pads as poor hygiene can lead various health issues among them. Prominent among present on the occasion included Dr. Harjinder Singh, IAS (Under Training), DPO Gulbahar Singh Toor, and others.