Mahila Kishori Samman Yojana Haryana 2026: Free Sanitary Pads

Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana at a glance

Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana is a Haryana state welfare scheme that distributes free sanitary napkins every month to Below Poverty Line (BPL) women and adolescent girls aged 11 to 45 years. The scheme is administered by the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Haryana, and operates through the state's 25,000 plus Anganwadi centres, government school health committees, and district Women and Child Development offices.

Around 22 lakh women and girls receive the free sanitary napkins under the scheme every month, per the Haryana Women and Child Development Department's official records. The state allocates around Rs. 40 crore per year for the scheme.

The programme runs in parallel with the Rashtriya Kishori Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), the national adolescent health programme under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which also provides sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in government schools. Haryana beneficiaries can access both programmes, though the Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana has broader age coverage (11 to 45 years, not just adolescents).

Why this scheme exists: period poverty in India

Period poverty is a documented reality across rural India. National Family Health Survey data from 2019-21 (NFHS-5) shows that only 57.6 percent of Indian women aged 15 to 24 use hygienic menstrual products such as sanitary napkins, tampons, or menstrual cups. The rest use cloth, ash, or other unhygienic materials, which are linked to reproductive tract infections and school absenteeism among girls.

In Haryana specifically, the NFHS-5 figure was 74.4 percent, better than the national average but still leaving roughly one in four women without regular access to hygienic products. The gap is sharper in BPL households where a monthly Rs. 200 to Rs. 400 sanitary napkin cost competes with food, medicine, and children's school expenses.

Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana was designed to close this gap for BPL families where the cost trade-off is real. The distribution model uses existing infrastructure (Anganwadis and schools) rather than building new delivery channels, which keeps administrative costs low.

Who qualifies for the free sanitary pads

The eligibility gate has three conditions that must all be satisfied.

Below Poverty Line status in Haryana is determined by the state's Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) database, which is the state's family ID system. Families with a PPP income declaration under Rs. 1.8 lakh per year are treated as BPL. Any woman or girl in an eligible household within the 11 to 45 age band can receive the benefit.

The scheme covers all BPL households regardless of caste, religion, or urban-rural location. Rural households access the benefit through Anganwadi workers who visit villages, while urban BPL households use ward-level Anganwadi centres or the District Women and Child Development Office.

School-going girls (typically aged 11 to 18) get sanitary napkins at their school through the school health committee, even if they do not visit an Anganwadi. Schools track beneficiary lists separately based on the student's family PPP or BPL status.

What each beneficiary receives every month

The standard monthly kit is one packet containing six regular-flow sanitary napkins. Each packet is manufactured or procured through the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation and branded under the Uttam or Freedays labels, which are the state's approved suppliers.

The packet is designed for a typical menstrual cycle of five days with one to two napkins per day. Heavy-flow days may require additional napkins, which the beneficiary purchases separately.

For adolescent girls in school, the school health committee often distributes a two-packet kit at the start of the academic session (June or July) and then supplements with monthly packets. Some schools also include a hygiene kit with soap, a plastic disposal bag, and a small awareness leaflet in the local language.

The scheme does not include tampons, menstrual cups, cloth pads, or other alternative menstrual products. It also does not cover incontinence products for older women.

How to enrol as a beneficiary through an Anganwadi centre

The Anganwadi route is the most common enrolment channel and is used by around 70 percent of scheme beneficiaries. There are approximately 25,700 Anganwadi centres across Haryana's 22 districts.

1. Visit your nearest Anganwadi centre. Location details are available at the District Women and Child Development Officer (DWCDO) office or the wcdhry.gov.in portal.
2. Bring your BPL ration card (Yellow or Pink) and Aadhaar card. If you have a Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP), bring that too.
3. The Anganwadi worker (AWW) fills a beneficiary registration form. Give your details, age, household PPP number, and the number of other eligible women or girls in your household.
4. The AWW verifies your PPP and BPL status against the state database using the department's tablet or smartphone.
5. Once approved, you are added to the monthly distribution roll. Your first packet is issued on the same day if stock is available, otherwise at the next monthly distribution.
6. Monthly distribution is typically on the 5th to 10th of every month at the Anganwadi centre. Collect the packet at any point during the distribution window.

The Anganwadi worker maintains a beneficiary register with your name, PPP number, and monthly distribution date. There is no fee for enrolment or the monthly packet.

How to enrol as a school-going girl

For girls aged 11 to 18 who are enrolled in a Haryana government school, the school itself is the primary distribution channel. The scheme integrates with the school health programme, which is coordinated between the Department of School Education and the Department of Women and Child Development.

Ask your school's health committee, class teacher, or school principal about the sanitary napkin distribution. Most government schools distribute during the morning assembly or at a designated period once a month. Some schools involve a female teacher or the school nurse to hand out the packets discreetly.

If your school is not distributing packets, two things may be happening. First, the school might not have submitted its beneficiary list to the district office in time. Ask the principal to check. Second, the school's supply chain may have a stock-out. In that case, visit the nearest Anganwadi to enrol as an out-of-school beneficiary.

Private school students from BPL families can also enrol through the Anganwadi channel. The scheme is not restricted by school type as long as the family PPP or BPL status qualifies.

Documents you need before you enrol

Enrolment needs three documents. All three are simple to obtain and no fresh application is required.

• BPL ration card (Yellow or Pink Haryana ration card) or AAY card
• Aadhaar card of the beneficiary (original for verification, no scan needed)
• Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) family ID card, if issued

If you have applied for PPP but not yet received the card, bring the PPP application acknowledgement slip. The Anganwadi worker can verify status in the department database.

Missing documents can be sorted at the same visit in most cases. If your BPL card is under renewal, the AWW may still enrol you conditionally while you complete the renewal.

What happens after you enrol

Once you are on the distribution roll, three things follow every month.

An SMS notification lands on your registered mobile number (or the household head's mobile) two days before distribution. The message reads MEKSAM (Mahila Evam Kishori Samman) or similar sender name. This is your reminder to visit the Anganwadi.

Distribution happens on the same 5-day window every month (typically 5th to 10th) at the Anganwadi centre. If you miss the window, the AWW can hold your packet until the next distribution day, but only if you inform in advance.

An annual review updates the beneficiary roll. Girls who cross 45 years of age exit the scheme automatically. New girls turning 11 are added when they or their family visit the Anganwadi. Beneficiaries who exit BPL status (say, a household PPP income declaration crosses Rs. 1.8 lakh) also exit the scheme.

Grievances (missed distribution, incorrect exclusion, quality complaints) are filed at the DWCDO office or on the wcdhry.gov.in portal.

Access issues and how to resolve them

Around 12 percent of enrolled beneficiaries face at least one distribution issue in a year, per the Haryana Women and Child Development Department's 2024-25 status report. The four most common issues are stock-outs, PPP mismatches, distribution timing conflicts, and school channel gaps.

Stock-outs happen when the Anganwadi supply chain runs behind schedule, most commonly in April and May when the annual procurement cycle resets. The AWW is required to log the stock-out and issue a token to affected beneficiaries so they can collect once supply arrives. Ask for the token.

PPP mismatches surface when the family PPP database has an outdated income record that misclassifies the family as above BPL. Fix this at the Common Service Centre or the Nagrik Sewa Kendra by updating the PPP with fresh income proof (typically a tehsildar income certificate).

Distribution timing conflicts happen when the monthly distribution day falls on a school day for adolescent beneficiaries, or on a working day for adult women who work as farmhands or domestic helpers. The Anganwadi is required to run at least one evening distribution slot per month, but not all Anganwadis follow this. Ask the AWW to arrange an alternate slot or to hand the packet to a household representative.

School channel gaps appear when a government school does not distribute packets during a specific month, either because the school missed the beneficiary list submission deadline or the stock did not arrive. Report this to the District Education Officer through the school principal.

Mahila Evam Kishori Samman vs central and other state schemes

Several parallel programmes exist across India for menstrual hygiene distribution. Haryana's Mahila Evam Kishori Samman sits in the state-level welfare tier, alongside similar schemes in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Here is how the four leading state-level schemes compare.

Delhi has the highest per-kit count (10 napkins) and the widest eligibility (no BPL filter for government school girls), but geographically the smallest reach. Haryana's advantage is the widest age band (11 to 45) and the dual delivery channel (Anganwadi plus schools), which reaches both adolescent girls and adult women. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh focus on adolescents only.

Central and adjacent schemes you can stack

Beneficiaries of Mahila Evam Kishori Samman can also access national-level menstrual hygiene programmes without conflict.

Rashtriya Kishori Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) is the national adolescent health programme under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It distributes sanitary napkins to adolescent girls (10 to 19 years) in government schools and Anganwadi centres. In Haryana, RKSK and Mahila Evam Kishori Samman often deliver through the same channels, so beneficiaries do not need to apply separately.

Suvidha Sanitary Napkins under the Jan Aushadhi programme sell branded oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins at Rs. 1 per pad through Jan Aushadhi Kendras across India. Over 12,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras operate nationwide. If your household exits BPL status, this becomes a cost-effective alternative.

Ministry of Women and Child Development runs Poshan Abhiyaan, which addresses adolescent girl nutrition and health holistically. Anganwadi centres are the primary delivery point for both schemes.

PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) gives Rs. 2 lakh accident cover for Rs. 20 per year, available to women aged 18 to 70 with a savings bank account. Enrol in parallel through your Jan Dhan or savings account.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) pays Rs. 5,000 for the first pregnancy through the same Anganwadi worker who handles Mahila Evam Kishori Samman distribution. Applications are filed at the same centre.

Health context: why hygienic napkins matter

Unhygienic menstrual practices are documented risk factors for reproductive tract infections (RTIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and cervical cancer. The National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) 2022 report noted that cervical cancer accounts for around 18 percent of all female cancers in India, and lack of menstrual hygiene is one of the correlated factors.

For adolescent girls specifically, menstrual hygiene availability is linked to school attendance. A 2023 study by the Population Council in rural Uttar Pradesh found that girls who received free sanitary napkins in school had 23 percent higher attendance during menstruation days compared to a control group. Similar patterns are documented across Haryana, Bihar, and Rajasthan.

The scheme's design deliberately aligns menstrual hygiene delivery with the school system to keep girls in school through the sensitive 11 to 18 age band, which is when school dropout rates spike for BPL families in Haryana. Haryana's overall female literacy rate has climbed from 65.9 percent in 2011 to around 78 percent in 2024, and schemes like this are part of the broader gender parity push.

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible for Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana in Haryana? Women and adolescent girls aged 11 to 45 who are permanent residents of Haryana and belong to a BPL household. Eligibility is verified against the state's Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) database, and BPL status typically means family income below Rs. 1.8 lakh per year.

How many sanitary napkins do I get every month? One packet of six regular-flow sanitary napkins per beneficiary per month. Each packet is designed for a typical five-day menstrual cycle with one to two napkins per day.

Where do I collect the sanitary napkins? Adult women (18 to 45) collect from their nearest Anganwadi centre on the monthly distribution day (typically 5th to 10th of each month). School-going girls (11 to 18) collect through their government school's health committee or from the Anganwadi if the school route is not active in that month.

What if my school is not distributing sanitary napkins? Ask the school principal to check with the District Education Officer whether the beneficiary list was submitted and stock has arrived. In parallel, enrol at the nearest Anganwadi centre as an out-of-school beneficiary so distribution continues without interruption.

Do private school students qualify? Yes, if the family holds a BPL ration card or is listed under Antyodaya Anna Yojana. Private school students enrol through the Anganwadi channel rather than through their school.

What documents are needed for enrolment? BPL ration card (Yellow or Pink Haryana card) or AAY card, Aadhaar card of the beneficiary, and the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) if issued. Missing documents can often be sorted at the same visit.

Is there any fee for enrolment or the monthly packet? No fee. Enrolment is free, and the monthly packet is provided at no cost through the Anganwadi centre or government school.

What happens if I turn 46 years old? You exit the scheme automatically at the end of the month you cross 46. Older women can access sanitary products through the Jan Aushadhi Suvidha programme at Rs. 1 per pad or through household purchase.

Can I collect for another family member if I visit the Anganwadi? Yes, if that family member is also enrolled and eligible. Bring her BPL ration card, Aadhaar, and PPP details. The Anganwadi worker will record the collection against her beneficiary ID.

Where do I report if I did not receive my monthly packet? File a grievance at the District Women and Child Development Officer (DWCDO) office or on the wcdhry.gov.in portal. Grievances are supposed to be resolved within 15 working days per the Haryana Right to Public Services Act.

Sources and related pages

• Haryana Women and Child Development Department: wcdhry.gov.in
• Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) portal: meraparivar.haryana.gov.in
• Rashtriya Kishori Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK): nhm.gov.in
• Jan Aushadhi Suvidha sanitary napkins: janaushadhi.gov.in
• Haryana Women Helpline: 181
• Department helpline for the scheme: 0172-2574640

Related pages on this site:

• PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): Rs. 20 accident insurance
• Gruha Lakshmi Yojana Karnataka: Rs. 2,000 monthly for women
• Ladki Bahin Yojana Maharashtra: Rs. 1,500 monthly for women
• Government schemes in Haryana