‘Sanitary napkin production unit to come up in Chakulia’

In a bid to to create awareness about menstrual health and hygiene along with helping women from the rural belts be self-employed, the North Dinajpur district administration, for the first time, is all set to start a sanitary napkin production unit at Chakulia in Goalpokhar-II block of North Dinajpur district.

The members of Self-Help-Groups are being roped in the production and marketing along with creating awareness among people. Surendra Kumar Meena, the District Magistrate of North Dinajpur said: “Machines for the production unit have been installed. Raw materials have also been arranged. An industrial cooperative society has been formed consisting of rural Self-Help-Group women for the operation.

SHG clusters like Mahasangha and Sangha will function as wholesalers and the SHG women at village level will be the retailers. Each organisation or person on the chain of marketing will earn profit. These lab-tested sanitary napkins will be provided at a very affordable rate in the district. At present, a minimum daily production of 14,000 has been targeted.”

Extensive IEC (information, education and communication) campaigns with proactive involvement of all stakeholders will be held with special focus on generating traction among men that menstrual hygiene is not only a female’s issue but a societal issue which needs intervention of all, the DM said.

Subhankar Kundu, the Block Nodal Officer of Anandadhara of Goalpokhar II block said: “We have already appointed 25 women of SHG groups who are working in the production unit after proper training. Very soon a good number of SHG members will be appointed for marketing the products and creating awareness among people.”