Delhi Govt Reduces Tax On Sanitary Napkins

The Aam Aadmi Party government has announced that it will reduce tax on sanitary napkins from 12.5 per cent to 5 per cent. Sanitary napkins which cost less than Rs 20 have even been made tax-free.

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, made the announcement yesterday while unveiling the capital city’s 2017-18 budget. The announcement co-incidentally came on International Women’s Day.

The Delhi government runs a campaign called Kishori Yojana, through which girls enrolled in government schools are given free sanitary napkins.

Here are some more highlights from the changes in Delhi’s budget. The budget focused on education and health.

Students in government schools will now get bananas and boiled eggs for midday meals, and girl students can avail of these meals till Class 12. Both boys and girls could avail of these meals only till class 8 previously.

Teachers will be given tablets through which they track the progress of their students.

The government has also promised 10,000 new classrooms, 400 libraries, 10 early childhood learning centres, and nursery classes in 156 government schools.

Sisodia also said that the number of hospital beds will be increased, as Delhi is to add 7 hospitals and remodel 10 existing hospitals. The number of mohalla clinics will also be increased.

The government's decision to reduce tax on sanitary napkins is a welcome move as many girls cannot avail of sanitary napkins because of their high costs.

Also Read: AAP Fields More Women Than Men For MCD Polls