The Karnataka government has decided to take its menstrual cup distribution programme state-wide from the next academic year, extending a pilot initiative that was earlier implemented in select districts among students of government schools and colleges.
A revised order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on January 5 states that over 10.38 lakh menstrual cups will be procured at a cost of more than Rs 61 crore. The procurement will be routed through the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Officials said the move is aimed at reducing the state’s dependence on disposable sanitary napkins and lowering long-term expenditure on menstrual hygiene products.
At present, the government spends around Rs 71 crore every year to supply more than 2.35 crore sanitary napkins to beneficiaries under the Shuchi scheme.
According to estimates shared by the Health and Family Welfare Department, replacing a section of this supply with reusable menstrual cups could result in annual savings of nearly Rs 10 crore, apart from reducing waste generated through single-use products.
The order said that sanitary napkins will continue to be supplied for the remaining three months of the current year. From the next academic year onwards, beneficiaries will be provided one menstrual cup each.