https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Swabhiman Dooars: Improving Hygiene and Generating Employment for Women

‘Swabhiman Dooars’ initiative in Alipurduar district is providing women hygienic products at low prices This initiative is generating employment and empowering women, too 2011 batch IAS officer Surendra Kumar Meena, who planned this initiative a year ago, provided funds to women SHGs
Indian Masterminds Stories

For a woman living in rural India, menstrual health and hygiene are still a big issue. Worst thing is that most of the homes still do not care to or shy away from discuss it. Most of the rural women lack access to sanitary napkins due to factors like lack of awareness, financial problems, and non availability of such hygiene products at a low price. But, in Alipurduar district of West Bengal, 2011 batch IAS officer Surendra Kumar Meena, who is now transferred to Uttar Dinajpur as DM, tried to change the scenario.

He started ‘Swabhiman Dooars’ initiative for creating an ecosystem for menstrual health and hygiene. This initiative not only provides quality sanitary napkins to the rural women at a cheap price, but also create opportunity of self employment with the creation of Rural Entrepreneur Hub. The women self help groups (SHGs) of the district are involved in this initiative and work tirelessly to produce the products. It is empowering women in the true sense.

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, former DM and Collector of Alipurduar, Mr. Surendra Kumar Meena who is now Collector of Uttar Dinajpur, talked about his initiative for women health and empowerment.

SWABHIMAN DOOARS

Mr. Meena started this project almost one year back, when he came to know that some women SHGs in Mahasangha and Sangha areas of the district tried to start women health centric hygienic products, but failed due to financial and other constraints. So he planned on providing help to these SHGs and started the process of procurement of machines for the production of sanitary napkins, raw materials, and making an infrastructure.

After 10 months of hard work, the project ‘Swabhiman Dooars’ started in September this year. The district dministration set up a sanitary napkin production unit at Birpara with minimum daily production of 14,000 napkins. This unit has two machines worth almost 40 lakhs. An industrial cooperative society has been formed consisting of rural women SHGs for operation. These units will focus solely on production and packaging. The administration is also helping in creating a market chain of wholesalers and retailers.

SHG clusters like Mahasangha and Sangha will function as wholesalers and the SHG women at the village level will be the retailers. Thus SHG women will be the primary point of sale for the local people. And, each organisation or person on the chain of marketing will be earning profit.

Mr. Meena said, “The name ‘Swabhiman Dooars’ is directly affiliated to women dignity, and so is the initiative. This will empower rural women in every sense. It will create employment and provide health safety to them. In my opinion, this initiative is the need of the hour everywhere.”

EMPLOYMENT

More than 100 women under SHGs are involved in the production unit. After production and packaging, the products will be taken to every block and every village by the all women sales team. This will create further employment for around 1500 women. Already, more than 500 women are working under the initiative.

AWARENESS

The sales women are also creating awareness about the importance of menstrual health and hygiene. They also advice on the safe disposal of used sanitary napkins. Such awareness and direct interaction will have impact on health, gender equality, quality of life, education, equity and empowerment.

Extensive campaigns with proactive involvement of all stakeholders is being carried out with special focus on generating traction among men that menstrual hygiene is not only a girl/ women issue but a societal issue which need intervention of all.

Mr. Meena said, “We are fully committed to this project and we urge everyone to come and help us for creating the vibrancy and the movement.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT