Periods Aren't A Choice: Women Factory Workers Will Get Free Sanitary Napkins In Meghalaya

In good news for female workers in factories in the state of Meghalaya, the state cabinet has decided to provide them with free sanitary napkins.

The state amended a 40-year-old Factory Rule to protect the workers at workplaces. According to the amendment, it is also mandatory for factories to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to all workers.

James PK Sangma, state Cabinet Minister of Home, District Council Affairs, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Law, Power, told PTI, ¡°After discussion, the proposal to amend rules 25 and 78 (C) of the Meghalaya Factories Rules, 1980 was approved at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday.¡±

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He added, "The amendment was made after the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had written to the State government to incorporate the Model Factories Rules regarding the provisions of sanitary napkins for the women workers under the Factories Act, 1948 and also to incorporate rules regarding the PPEs for all workers.¡±

'Napkins to be replenished daily'

The amendment clearly states that the sanitary napkins of adequate quantities and conforming to Indian standards shall be provided and maintained in the women¡¯s toilets. The napkins will be replenished on a daily basis.

In August, the Haryana government also announced that they will provide free sanitary pads to about 22.50 lakh below poverty line women and girls ¡ª aged 10-45 every month, for a year.

In 2018, the state government launched a scheme under which sanitary napkin packets priced at Re 1 will be provided to girl students at government schools.

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When the country went into lockdown back in March, there was some confusion over the status of sanitary napkins listed under "essential commodities."

Later, Union Minister Smriti Irani has written in a tweet that sanitary napkins were listed as an essential commodity. ¡±Taking note of the growing concern regarding the availability of sanitary napkins, Home Secretary to Government of India has issued a clarification to Chief Secretaries of all the states regarding Sanitary Pads being an essential commodity,¡± read her tweet.