Odisha: Free Sanitary Napkins will be given to school girls under Khushi Yojana

Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi said this initiative will help to improve health, hygiene, attendance and academic performance in schools.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Cabinet on Friday gave its approval to 28 proposals including the "Khushi Yojana" under which 17.25 lakh school girls from Class VI to XII will be provided sanitary napkins free of cost.

The scheme will be applicable to girls studying in government and government-aided schools.

To implement this scheme, the state government will spend Rs 466 crore over five years.

Speaking to media after the cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi said this initiative will help to improve health, hygiene, attendance and academic performance in schools.

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All Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawaharlal Navodaya Vidyalaya located in Odisha will be covered under the scheme which will be spearheaded by the Department of Health and Family in coordination with the department of school and mass education, scheduled tribe and scheduled caste development, minorities and backward classes development and social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities.

The other proposals approved by the state cabinet include identifying professional courses under KALIA Scholarship scheme, regulations of nurses, lab assistants, technicians, pharmacists and health workers, mega lift irrigation projects, piped water supply projects, Rs 3000 crore bank guarantee to GRIDCO and provision of night meals at Aahar Canteens, among others.