New Delhi: After free bicycles, the Nitish Kumar government on Monday announced distribution of sanitary napkins among girls in government schools in an effort to check their drop out rate and to impart a lesson in health and hygiene.
Distribution of free sanitary napkins formed a part of interim budget for 2014-15 presented in Bihar Legislative Assembly by minister in-charge Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.
More than 30 lakh girls from middle school-level and above across the state would be given sanitary napkin free of cost, he told reporters after the presentation of the interim budget.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was in the House during presentation of budget.
Chaudhary said it would cost around Rs 32 crore for which provision has been made in the budget.
Pointing out three main benefits of the scheme, he said it will provide further impetus to girls to go to school as well as impart them with lesson in hygiene and help to spread awareness about health.
The scheme would add to Nitish Kumar government's boost to girls' enrolment in schools and cut down drop out rate.
The bicycle yojna under which students of standard IX onwards, both boys and girls, are given free bicycles, is doing wonders and is drawing praise across the world, Chaudhary said.
