Sanitary napkin vending machines at Nirman Bhawan

New Delhi: Targeting women's health at its door step, the central government has installed four sanitary napkin vending machines in women's washrooms at Nirman Bhawan, which houses the health ministry.

The machine dispenses "Happy Days" sanitary napkins manufactured by Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust in its Kanagala factory in Karnataka.

Aimed to benefit the female employees of the ministry, these VENDIGO machines will dispense a pack of three pads on the press of a button. Priced at Rs. 10, a pack can be available on inserting a Rs.10 note or coins of Rs. 1, 5 and 10, a release said here.

The use of sanitary napkins is low in India, especially in rural areas. Experts notice that this owes largely to a stigma attached to the product in India, where women hesitate to buy sanitary napkins from retail shops.