New Delhi, August 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Centre is supporting states and Union Territories (UTs) in implementing the Menstrual Hygiene Policy for school-going girls through coordinated action aimed at ensuring access to safe and affordable menstrual hygiene measures in schools, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said in a written reply that the Union government implements the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) to promote menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls.
The scheme focuses on awareness generation, access to quality and affordable sanitary napkins, safe and environment-friendly disposal, and counselling on safe menstrual practices.
Patel said Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHM) is a multidimensional and inter-ministerial issue requiring coordinated action by multiple ministries and departments, along with state and UT governments, according to their respective statutory mandates.
Under the National Health Mission (NHM), states and UTs receive support for menstrual hygiene schemes based on proposals included in their Annual Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs), in accordance with applicable norms.
The Health Ministry also conducts sustained Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities, awareness campaigns and sensitisation programmes through health facilities, community platforms, frontline health workers, digital dissemination channels and adolescent-focused programme platforms.
Monitoring under the NHM is carried out through a multi-layered framework, including reviews of state-wise key deliverables against approved targets during National Programme Coordination Committee meetings with states and UTs.
Annual Common Review Missions (CRMs) also provide independent, on-ground assessments of programme implementation, health system strengthening and progress on key indicators, Patel said.
In a separate reply, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) is being implemented across all 36 states and UTs, covering 751 districts, including 44 linked districts.
As of June 30, the programme was being implemented through 1,856 haemodialysis centres equipped with 13,535 haemodialysis machines.
Jadhav said the Health Ministry periodically monitors the programme through Common Review Missions and visits by senior officials. During these reviews, non-operational dialysis centres, if identified, are brought to the attention of the concerned state or UT for corrective action.
He said responsibility for timely operationalisation of dialysis centres and deployment of adequately trained manpower, including dialysis technicians, rests with the respective state and UT governments and implementing partners, wherever engaged.
FOLLOW NOW
