CHENNAI: The State government informed the Madras High Court that it is planning to expand the Mudhalvar Marundhagam scheme to ensure wider availability of sanitary napkins at subsidised prices.
The submission was made during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by advocate Lakshmi Raja of Tambaram, who sought a direction to the authorities to distribute sanitary napkins either free of cost or at subsidised rates through ration shops so that economically disadvantaged women and those in rural areas could benefit.
Appearing for the State, Advocate General PS Raman submitted that sanitary napkins are already being distributed free of cost to women in rural areas through village health nurses, as well as to schoolgirls and post-natal mothers under existing government schemes.
He informed the court that about 1,000 Mudhalvar Marundhagam outlets run by cooperative societies under the control of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies are currently selling sanitary napkins at subsidised prices. In addition, 248 cooperative medical shops and 132 medical shops are also selling the napkins at subsidised rates, he said.
Though napkins are not currently available through ration shops, the facility is being provided through these cooperative outlets, submitted the Advocate General, adding that the government is planning to expand the Mudhalvar Marundhagam scheme to ensure greater accessibility.
Recording the submission, the bench of Chief Justice MM Shrivastava (since retired) and Justice G Arul Murugan expressed hope that the State would increase the number of cooperative shops to make sanitary napkins easily accessible. The court also observed that providing subsidised or free napkins through all ration shops or clusters of ration shops would further improve accessibility.
The bench then adjourned the hearing of the case to April 29