YS Jagan launches Swechha program, which aims to focus on hygiene of women and girls

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday inaugurated the 'Swechha' program at the Tadepalli Camp office, which aims at the health and hygiene of women and adolescent girls. Speaking on the occasion, CM YS Jagan said that the goal of the 'Swechha' program is to focus on the health and hygiene of women and girls. He said that girls are stopping studies due to menstrual problems. "Sanitary napkins will be provided free of cost to 7th to 12th class students. Napkins will be distributed free of cost to 10 lakh teenage girls," said CM Jagan.

He said sanitary napkins will be distributed in 10, 388 schools and colleges across the state and opined that monitoring should take place every month under the auspices of JC (Asara). He said that women teachers and ANMs should create awareness among girls and appoint a female teacher as the nodal officer for the implementation of the 'Swechha' scheme. He said steps would be taken to ensure that sanitary napkins are sold in YSR Cheyutha stores. "The government strongly believes that women have the power to change history," he said.

The government has designed the Swechha Program with the aim of giving priority to the health care and hygiene of students and awareness classes will be conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, P&G and other organisations to dispel misconceptions about menstruation.

Announcing the Swechha program on March 8 this year on the occasion of International Women's Day, the state government has brought various departments under the purview of the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare. Steps have been taken to distribute napkins in schools and colleges once every two months.