Twenty six schools in the Taj city, Agra will soon get sanitary pad vending machines installed, a Uttar Pradesh official said on Saturday.

They have been gifted by social entrepreneur and founder of Nine, Amar Tulsiyan in a bid to raise awareness about menstruation and de-stigmatise the natural phenomenon.

The machines have already reached the principals of — Holi Public School in Sikandra, Sachdeva Millenium School in Shashtripuram, Agra Public School in Viajy Nagar, Artoni and Shahdra Chungi, Andrew Public School in Balkeshwar, Kamla Nagar, St Andrew Public School in Baruli and Dr MS World School among others. They would be installed as soon as the mid-term exams were over.

School Children. Wikimedia

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Shudh Plus hygiene products CEO Richa Singh told IANS her firm has entered into a Rs 80 crore MoU with the state and would soon be donating 20 more such machines, along with menstrual hygiene tool kits in Allahabad, Varanasi and other small towns and cities across the state.

"The idea behind the whole thing is to enable young girls to grow into an empowered young woman and put an end to period taboos," the official said. (IANS)