Sealing, packing unit of sanitary napkins launched at Elliot Road

State Women, Child Development and Social Welfare minister Sashi Panja on Wednesday inaugurated ‘Sampoorna’ a sealing and packing unit of high quality sanitary napkins by the residents of Swadhar Greh and aftercare home of All Bengal Women’s Union on Elliot Road.

‘Sampoorna’ is a joint venture initiative of the state government, All Bengal Women’s Union and Eco Dev Consultancy Pvt Ltd. The napkins which would be produced at this unit will be distributed among the girls staying at various destitute homes run by the government free of cost. Women rescued from trafficking have been provided training to work at the unit on salary basis thereby finding an alternative source of income.

“This was a part of an initiative of empowering women taken by the Women, Child and Social Welfare department to provide alternative source of income to the girls staying at Swadhar Greh. The new initiative will immensely help the underprivileged girls to get sanitary napkins at completely free of cost. The sanitary napkins will be sent to various destitute homes at free of cost as maintaining hygiene during the menstruation cycle of women is of utmost importance,” Panja said.

The napkins produced at this unit would initially be distributed among the girls at various state government-run destitute homes including SMM Liluah, Sukanya in North 24 Parganas, Uttarpara Home, Nadia District Shelter. The women who are engaged to produce the napkins have been given special training for this job. An automated vending machine of sanitary napkins and incinerators (napkin destroyer) will be installed at Swadhar Homes and JJ Homes.

Around Rs 11,57,000 has been sanctioned for the napkin production unit. Initially, 45,000 napkins will be supplied every month and the production will gradually go up to 1,80,000. The School Education and Higher Education Department have been requested to install automated machines and incinerators in schools and colleges to ensure menstrual hygiene of adolescent girls.

Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy who was present at the programme said that the machine has already been installed in 8 schools and a college under his parliamentary constituency.