In the News
Supporting the Local Production of Low-Cost Hygiene Products in India
- 07 August 2013
CUTTACK, India — The district administration on Tuesday commercially launched the low cost sanitary napkins manufactured by a self-help group of Tigiria block in Cuttack. The product being marketed under the brand name, Jyoti, is an attempt to ensure menstrual health and hygiene practices among the rural women in the district.
The project has been funded by UNFPA.
Sources said the UNFPA provided a monetary help of Rs 2 lakh, which was spent on training and procuring machines for the unit.
A group of 30 women manage the entire manufacturing and marketing work.
A pack of eight napkins is being sold at Rs 16 to wholesale dealers and would cost Rs 20 at retail outlets.
The napkins are not only cheaper but also eco-friendly. "Our product is on a par with napkins manufactured by multinational companies. Wood pulp is used in the napkins, which is a biodegradable," said Premanalini Nayak, head of Jyoti sanitary napkin federation.
The unit manufactures about 5,000 pieces of napkins a day, she said, adding, women engaged in the project earn Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 a month.
Read the full story by Binita Jaiswal in the Times of India
