WAKHETNA, Jun 4: Bordumsa ADC Devansh Yadav inaugurated a reusable sanitary napkin production unit here in Changlang district on Tuesday.
The unit, which was inaugurated in the presence of NERCORMP District Project Director N Sukajit and NABARD District Development Manager Kamal Roy, will be run by the Nightingale SHGs Federation, comprising 12 SHGs promoted by NGO Bordumsa Mahila Mandal and supported by the NERCORMP.
The federation is now in the initial phase of production of low-cost sanitary pads, targeting girls and women living in the rural and remote areas of the district.
Sukajit said the introduction of sanitary napkins at an affordable price would improve menstrual hygiene management and health among adolescent girls and women residing in the remote areas. He said taboos associated with menstruation would “go away from the minds of communities with the increase in the use of sanitary pads over a period of time.”
Roy spoke about supporting need-based skill development programmes under the NABARD’s Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP) “for matured SHGs which already have access to finance from banks.”
“MEDPs are on-location skill development training programmes which attempt to bridge the skill deficits or facilitate optimization of production activities already pursued by the SHG members. Grant is provided to eligible training institutions and SHPIs to provide skill development training in in-farm and off-farm service sector activities, leading to establishment of micro enterprises either on individual basis or on group basis,” he said.
Roy also informed about the NABARD’s rural mart scheme, which he said could be tapped by the SHG federation as it provides a market link to rural people for their household produces, besides generating income and employment at the grassroots level.
He said the SHGs can also avail bank loans under various government-sponsored schemes, such as DEDS, NLM, CMKRY, and Bunkar Yojona, to engage in income generating activities.
The ADC assured to procure 1000 sanitary pads under the school health, hygiene & nutrition programme to support the production unit run by the SHGs. He also announced to provide a marketing outlet at the Monday market for sanitary pads and other homemade products of the SHGs.
