Bhubaneswar: Odisha government will provide free sanitary napkins to the adolescent girl students of the state as the state Cabinet that met this evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen gave its approval for ‘Khushi Scheme’.
According to reports, the state government, under the ‘Khushi Scheme’, will provide free sanitary napkins to around 17.25 lakh adolescent girl students of Class VI to XII studying in government and government-aided schools in the state.
The state government will spend Rs 466.08 crore for the scheme over a period of five years.
Besides, Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawaharlal Navodaya Vidyalayas located in the state will also be covered under the scheme. Each girl student will be provided 18 beltless sanitary napkins per month.
Tthe Health & family welfare department in coordination with the School and Mass Education, Scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Caste Development and Minorities and Backward Classes Development and Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will implement the Khushi scheme.
Patnaik had launched the female health and hygiene program on February 26, 2018.
Apart from the Khushi scheme, the Odisha gave its green signal for 27 other important proposals during the meeting.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal to regularise the service of contractual employees in the health department who have completed six years of continues service.
Staff nurses, lab assistants, technicians, pharmacists and health workers will be regularized. According to sources, as many as 1409 staff nurses, 227 lab technicians, 48 pharmacists, 2730 MPHW ( F ) and 588 MPHW(M) will be regularised.
The Cabinet has approved the amendment of Odisha Homoeopathic Medical Education Service Method of Recruitment and Condition of Service) Rules, 2013. The Cabinet approved enhancement of the upper age limit for recruitment of homoeopathic doctor to 40 from the existing 32 years.
Moreover, four mega lift-irrigation projects of Water Resources Department, KALIA Scholarship Scheme, two piped water supply projects under Basudha scheme, Rs 3,000 crore bank guarantee to GRIDCO and provision of night meals at Aahar centres also got Cabinet nod.
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Ms Kalinga