BENGALURU: Following a TNIE report on girl students being deprived of Shuchi Kit, in which sanitary napkins are provided by the Government of Karnataka, the health and family welfare department on Saturday provided administrative approval for the purchase and distribution of sanitary napkins for three months at the district level.
The New Indian Express published a report titled, ‘No Shuchi kits yet, girl students skip classes’, on December 16, 2025.
“The administrative approval has been given to respective deputy commissioners to purchase and distribute sanitary pads required for a period of three months to a total of 19,64,507 adolescent girls from Classes 6 to 10 and pre-university, under the Shuchi programme in the respective district level at a cost of Rs 10 crore through local procurement as per the Karnataka Public Procurement Transparency Act and Rules,” the order issued by the department said.
According to the rules of Shuchi Kit programme under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan for 2025–26, 2,35,74,084 sanitary napkins at a cost Rs 71.83 crore were supposed to be distributed to all adolescent girls registered in government and aided schools, colleges and those staying in government hostels in rural and urban areas through the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited.
However, due to a shortage of sanitary napkins in the stock from August 2025, its distribution in schools and colleges was disrupted. A fresh tender is being floated, the department said.
B Kotresh, a government high school teacher in Vijayanagara, said, “Finally, the health department has decided the sanitary napkins. It is a matter of dignity for the girls. Just like the government has decided to provide reservation for women, menstrual leave and share in ancestral property, providing sanitary napkins to female students must also be a priority for the government.”