Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 5: Taking a cue from Padman Arunachalam Muruganantham’s low-cost pad-making, the women in Ghagwal have started making low cost sanitary pads and the Department of Rural Development’s Umeed scheme has assisted them in making their dream come true.
The State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) has installed low-cost pad making unit at Ghagwal and the women from Self Help Groups of this block will manage the whole process of making sanitary pads and its marketing.
Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan and Minister of State for Education Priya Sethi formally inaugurated the unit and it has now started its operations.
With an aim to ensure menstrual hygiene by selling the sanitary pads for less than a third of the cost of commercial pads, the women will not only sell the sanitary pads to the women at low cost but also earn their livelihood from the business.
On the occasion the Ministers were informed that RDD trained about seven members of Self Help Groups at Arunachalam Muruganantham’s Pad-making industry in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and also acquired the machines from there.
The Ministers were further informed that the investment in the unit is nominal and the product price will be affordable to the rural women especially women belonging to economically weaker sections.
Earlier while interacting with the members of SHGs, Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq said the SHGs are a useful platform to enhance women’s health through increased knowledge and awareness on health issues, and financial security during health emergencies etc. He expressed satisfaction over the functioning of the unit and hoped that more such units will be established in other areas to make these products available to women at lower cost for ensuring better menstrual hygiene.
Minister of State Priya Sethi while interacting with the women also praised them for overcoming all odds and starting earning their livelihood besides helping other people also to earn.
MLA Hiranagar Kuldeep Raj and Additional Mission Director SRLM Kapil Sharma were also present on the occasion.
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