Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launches My Pad My Right project in Tripura

The NABARD initiative aims to improve menstrual hygiene among women in rural areas. The minister also flagged off a mobile ATM van of the Tripura State Cooperative Bank to mark the 7th anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurate several projects aimed at developing the rural economy in Agartala, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. (PTI Photo)

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the ‘My Pad My Right’ (MPMR) project on Saturday, the last day of her Tripura visit. The project is an initiative of NABARD and its NAB Foundation to provide better livelihood and menstrual hygiene to women in rural areas through grants, wage support and capital equipment.

The initiative provides one sanitary pad making machine, raw materials for two months, wages for 50 days, packaging material with accessories and a five-day training in three phases.

Interacted with women Self-help groups at Darshan Deb Memorial school ground along with Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman Ji.

Hon’ble FM @nsitharaman Ji inaugurated the ‘My Pad My Right’ (MPMR) Project.

MPMR will help to achieve menstrual hygeine for rural women. pic.twitter.com/G8nqAVsgFD

— Biplab Kumar Deb (@BjpBiplab) August 28, 2021

The union minister, who was in the state for a two-day visit, also flagged off a mobile ATM van of the Tripura State Cooperative Bank to mark the seventh anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. Equipped with an LED TV for demonstration purposes, the van will accept cards of all leading banks and will cover all village committees and gram panchayats of South Tripura district.

Sitharaman, in her address, said the government started the Jan Dhan Yojana to ensure bank accounts and RuPay cards for the poor. “All women got Rs 1,500 directly in their bank accounts through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana during the lockdown last year. Out of every 100 Jan Dhan accounts, 55 belong to women,” she said.

Out of every 100 Jan Dhan accounts, 55 belong to women. The main beneficiaries of PMJDY are women. In those areas where bank branches are not possible, the Bank Mitras do the job of providing banking services: Smt @nsitharaman in Tripura #PMJanDhan pic.twitter.com/nMalCqQliq

— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) August 28, 2021

A statement issued later in the day said 67 per cent of the total 43.04 crore Jan Dhan accounts are in rural and semi-urban areas and 36.86 crore of them (86 per cent) are currently functional.

The minister also offered prayers at the Tripurasundari Temple in Udaipur and interacted with Self-Help Groups run by women at Killa Rural Development Block.

Read | Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates 11 infrastructure, development projects in Tripura

A tweet from her office said, “The SHGs have been receiving various benefits under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana. Recently, the limit of collateral free lending to SHGs was increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.”

Speaking on the My Pad My Right project, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said it would help rural women improve menstrual hygiene. He said his government has worked to strengthen the rural economy and pointed out that Self Help Groups (SHG) in Tripura have increased by six times with greater involvement of women.