Shillong (Meghalaya), Sept 8 : Women factory workers in the state are all set to get free sanitary napkins at their places of work after state cabinet approved an amendment to the four-decades-old Factories Rules.
The amendment to the 40-year-old service rules also makes it mandatory for factories to provide personal protective equipment (PPEs) to all workers.
“After discussion, the proposal to amend rules 25 and 78 (C) of the Meghalaya Factories Rules, 1980 was approved at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday,” James PK Sangma told PTI.
The amendment was made after the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had written to the state government to incorporate the Model Factories Rules regarding the provisions of sanitary napkins for the women workers under the Factories Act, 1948 and also to incorporate rules regarding the PPEs for all workers, he said.
According to the government spokesperson, the proposed amendment also incorporated clauses to ensure that the sanitary napkins of adequate quantity and conforming to Indian standards shall be provided and maintained in the womens toilets for their use and the same be replenished on a daily basis.
He said disposal bins with lit shall also be provided within the womens toilets for the collection of the used napkins and they shall be disposed of as per procedures approved by the inspector.
The same clauses are also applicable to the PPEs provided in terms of quality and disposal, he said.
( With PTI inputs)
