Ahmedabad, Aug. 17 -- Government schools in Gujarat will provide free sanitary napkins every months to a million girl students studying from Classes 6 to 12 under a state government initiative aimed at improving menstrual hygiene and school attendance, the government said on Monday.

The Gujarat Education Department approved Rs.46.68 crore for the programme, it said in a statement. Under the scheme, Rs.360 will be provided to each girl student annually and oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins worth Rs.30 per month will be distributed to eligible students through their schools.

The initiative has been launched under the guidance of chief minister Bhupendra Patel and the leadership of education minister Pradyuman Vaja and minister of state f...