Sanitary pad sale scheme has anganwadi workers fuming

DEHRADUN: Over two years ago, the responsibility of selling sanitary napkins to adult women was added to the duties of anganwadi workers in Uttarakhand. Although the state had announced that the pads would be provided for free last year, anganwadi workers claim that this has not yet been implemented. These frontline workers from the women and child development department are "dissatisfied with the added responsibility", which often requires them to transport heavy cartons to remote areas, even when not every family in the villages is interested in purchasing them.
Uttarakhand has 25,000 anganwadi centres, and transporting the cartons to each centre has become a logistical challenge.
"The NGOs providing the pads should deliver them directly to the villages, and the number of pads sold by us should be included in our Monthly Progress Report (MPR). Furthermore, anganwadi workers should not be forced to sell these pads as not every family in remote hills is interested in buying them," said Rekha Negi, chairperson of the State Anganwadi Association of Uttarakhand.
Recently, the state government announced plans to install 8,000 sanitary pad vending machines, where a pair of pads will cost Rs 5.
Also, the workers are being provided Rs 1 per packet as an incentive for selling each packet which is worth Rs 5. "Even though the sanitary pads are being offered at a subsidised price, a separate survey should be conducted to ensure the quality of the napkins provided, even at such a low cost," said a beneficiary from Pauri, on the condition of anonymity.
HC Semwal, secretary of the women and child development department, said, "At some centres, anganwadi workers have requested more cartons, while at others, the stock remained as it was. Therefore, there is a need to promote the usage of sanitary napkins among women. We are confident that the demand will increase. If anganwadi workers wish for cartons to be delivered directly to their centres, we will convey the request to the higher authorities."