Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, activities such as Adolescent Health Awareness Programme for Girls, provision of separate toilets blocks for girls as part of schools and installation of incinerator machine and sanitary napkin & vending machine for girls at schools and girls hostels are undertaken for general hygiene management. National Council of Educational Research and Training has developed syllabus on health and physical education for Classes I – XII as a follow up of National Curriculum Framework, 2005, which provides adequate space to menstrual hygiene. Sanitary napkin vending machines and napkin incinerators have already been installed in 40 Kendriya Vidyalayas. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is implementing the Scheme for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene for Adolescent Girls residing primarily in rural areas of the country. Adolescent girls are provided sanitary napkins at subsidized rates by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) within the community and through the platform of Government and Government aided school. Financial assistance under this scheme is provided to the States and UTs based on the proposal received from their Project Implementation Plans. ASHAs also provide adolescent girls information on maintaining good menstrual hygiene, proper use of sanitary napkins and safe disposal by environmentally safe methods. Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has also developed National Guidelines on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) which aims to support all adolescent girls and women. The guidelines cover the aspects of providing adolescent girls with menstrual hygiene management choices and MHM infrastructure in schools and the safe disposal of menstrual waste. This is an integral part of the Swachh Bharat Mission Guidelines. This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Shri Upendra Kushwaha today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
