ಲೇಬರ್ ಆಕ್ಟ್ ಮತ್ತು ಇಂಡಸ್ಟ್ರಿಯಲ್ ಆಕ್ಟ್ ನಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಹಾಗೆ ಇ.ಸಿ.ಐ., ಪಿ.ಎಫ್ ಬೇಸಿಕ್‌, ಡಿ.ಎ, ವೀಕ್ಲಿ ಆಫ್, ಜಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ., ಸಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ. ಇಷ್ಟೂ ಸಹ ನಮ್ಮ ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಅಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ರೀತಿ ಅಲ್ಲದೆ ಬೇರೆ ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಚೌಕಟ್ಟನ್ನು ಮೀರಿ ಹಲವು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳು ವ್ಯವಹರಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪತ್ರಿಕಾ ಗೋಷ್ಥಿ.
ಪಿ.ಎಫ್. 25%, ಇ.ಎಸ್.ಐ.4%, ಜಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ. 9ಮ ಸಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ. 9% ಇವೆಲ್ಲವೂ ಸಹ ಮೇಲೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿದ ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಚೌಕಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದರೆ ಈ ಮೇಲೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿದ ಹಾಗೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯವಹರಿಸದೆ ಅವ್ಯವಹಾರಿಕ ಅಂದರೆ ಕಾನೂನಿನ ವಿರುದ್ಧವಾಗಿ ಈಗ ನಾವು ಲೇಬರ್ ಆಕ್ಟ್ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ವ್ಯವಹರಿಸಬೇಕೆ ಅಥವಾ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ವ್ಯವಹರಿಸಬೇಕೆ ಎಂದು ತೀರ್ಮಾನಿಸಲು ನನಗೆ ಗೊಂದಲಮಯವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ.
ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳ ಸನಿಹದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಲುಕಿರುವ ನಮ್ಮಂತಹ ಸಣ್ಣಪುಟ್ಟ ಸೆಕ್ಯೂರಿಟಿ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳು ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಚೌಕಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸಲು ಆಗದೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳ ಹಿಡಿತದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಲುಕಿ ಒದ್ದಾಡುವಂತಾಗಿದೆ. ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸಿದರೆ ನಮ್ಮಂತಹ ಸಣ್ಣ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಹಾನಿಕರವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಕೂಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ಸೆಕ್ಯೂರಿಟಿ ಗಾರ್ಡ್‌ಗಳಿಗೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ರೀತಿಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳು ಕಾನೂನು ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ ಸಿಗದೆ ಅನ್ಯಾಯಗೊಳ್ಳಗಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅಂದರೆ ಓವರ್ ಟೈಂ ಡ್ಯೂಟಿ, (8 ಗಂಟೆಗಳ ಬದಲು 12 ಗಂಟೆ) ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಇ.ಸಿ.ಐ., ಪಿ.ಎಫ್., ಸಿಗದೆ ಇರುವುದು. ಈಗ ಸದ್ಯದ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾವು ನೀಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ಟ್ಯಾಕ್ಸ್, ಜಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ., ಸಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ. ಅತೀ ದುಬಾರಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಜಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿ ಅಥವಾ ಸಿ.ಎಸ್.ಟಿಯನ್ನು ಕಡಿತಗೊಳಿಸಬೇಕೆಂದು ಅಹವಾಲು ಕೋರುತ್ತಾ ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಕೂಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರು ಆಯಾ ಆಯಾ ಲೋಕಲ್ ನಲ್ಲಿರುವವರೆಂದು ಕೇಂದ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂದಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಅದೇ ರೀತಿ 25% ಪಿ.ಎಫ್. ಬದಲು 12% ಪಿ.ಎಫ್. ಕಟ್ಟಲು ಬದಲಾಯಿಸಿ ತರಲು ಒತ್ತಾಯಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ.
ಹಲವು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳು ಸೆಕ್ಯೂರಿಟಿ ಒಪ್ಪಂದಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಅಧೀನ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ತಿಂಗಳ ತಿಂಗಳ ಸೆಕ್ಯೂರಿಟಿ ಗಾರ್ಡ್, ಸೂಪರ್ ವೈಸರ್, ಗಾರ್ಡ್ಸ್‌ಗಳ ಸಂಬಳವನ್ನು ನೀಡಲು ನಿರಾಕರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಸುಮಾರು ತಿಂಗಳುಗಳ ಬಾಕಿಯನ್ನು ಕೊಡದೆ ಸತಾಯಿಸುತ್ತಿರುತ್ತಾರೆ.ಲೇಬರ್ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಇಂತಹ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ರೀತಿಯ ಕ್ರಮ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ನಿರಾಕರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಅಂದರೆ ಪರೋಕ್ಷವಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಈ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳ ಪರವಾಗಿರುತ್ತಾರೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಪಡಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ.
ಯಾವುದೇ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳು ಈ ರೀತಿಯಾದಂತಹ ನಿರಂಕುಶ (ಡಿಕ್ಟೇಟರ್) ಆಡಳಿತಕ್ಕೆ ಕಡಿವಾಣ ಹಾಕುವಂತೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಮನವಿಯನ್ನು ಮುಟ್ಟುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಲು ನಮ್ಮ ಈ ಪತ್ರಿಕೋದ್ಯಮಗಳ ಸಮ್ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿನಂತಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರೆಸ್ಸ್ ಕ್ಲಬ್ ಆಫ್ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಪತ್ರಿಕಾ ಗೋಷ್ಥಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಭೀಮ್ಸ್ ಸೆಕ್ಯೂರಿಟಿ ಸರ್ವಿಸ್ ನ ಮ್ಯಾನೇಜಿಂಗ್ ಪಾರ್ಟ್ನರ್ ಆದ ಸಿ. ಆರ್. ಶೆಟ್ಟ್ ಯವರು ತಿಳಿಸಿದರು
Bengaluru: The High Security Registration Plates (HSRP), a flagship project of The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has gone off the road, with allegations of corruption even before its implementation. It has become another challenge to the Congress government, which is also planning to probe the commission cut allegations of the previous BJP government.
A few days ago, the Bengaluru University PG and Research Students Association filed a detailed complaint regarding HSRP number plates with the state government and demanded a thorough probe into the allegations.
What is the allegation?
Lokeshram , president of the association, says that the prime reason why HSRP has been made mandatory is that the old number plates are quite easy to temper with and can be misused by car thieves. The HSRPs comprise details like engine number and chassis number in a centralised database. The data helps in identifying a stolen car. HSRP is an aluminium-made ‘high-security registration plate’ that is fixed to a vehicle using two non-reusable locks. A chromium-based hologram of Ashoka Chakra of 20 mm x 20 mm size is applied by hot stamping on the top left-hand corner of the plate in both front and rear plates to protect against counterfeiting. The permanent identification number (PIN) of a minimum of 10 digits is laser branded into the reflective sheeting on the bottom left-hand side of the registration plate with a letter size of 5 mm. The HSRP is linked electronically to the vehicle after its affixture to the vehicle on registration.
Though it is a flagship project of the central government, it is going down the wrong road in Karnataka. The association alleges that, according to experts, rules made in Karnataka violate the norms stipulated by the MoRTH. It is prepared by the transport department in Karnataka, and if implemented, close to 20,000 families will take a hit and lose their livelihoods.
Lokeshram explained that MoRTH has given permission to close to 20 companies to install HSRP number plates on existing and new vehicles in the country. However, in order to create a monopoly, only four firms in Karnataka are likely to get permission to install HSRP number plates. “By selecting only four firms and keeping out other players, it has proved that there is a good scope for corruption by creating a monopoly,” alleged Lokeshram.
The installation of the HSRP number in all vehicles is mandatory, and the platform is said to be ready by the transport department to enable vehicle manufacturers or dealers to fulfill it. The reality is that HSRP is not manufactured by the vehicle manufacturers, but has to be sourced from other manufacturers and fitted to the vehicles. The reality is that out of the 20 HSRP manufacturers in the list of the central government, the secret pact has given permission to only four to five firms, which is owned by one person. Lokeshram expressed concern in his complaint that the purpose of the entire project may go astray due to the alleged bribery involvement of officials and influential persons, as they are not following any transparent process in this.
How scam works?
There is no confusion if the HSRP number plate is installed on a brand new vehicle rolling out of the showroom. The scam works with old vehicles, it is estimated that country has close to 30 crore old vehicles, out of which Karnataka has 2 crore. All these vehicles in Karnataka needs to be fitted with HSRP number plates and the cost for each vehicles is between Rs 400 to Rs 950. There is profit margin of atleast 50% in each HSRP number plate. “If given to few hands, it is estimated that profit would run into Rs 500 crores. Therefore, there is bigger lobby to bag the contracts involving officials and influentials,” alleged Lokeshram, adding this will create monopolies and give birth to a mafia. “The worst to be affected are vehicle owners and those involved in making number plates in the state. Currently, there are about 20,000 individuals who depend on this industry. By awarding contracts to few, this will snatch away their livelihood and push them to streets.”
Press meet briefed by Lokesh Ram, activist, Arjun Gopalaiah SSDFand Dr Venkatachalaiah BNV at press Club of Bangalore.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF DESIGN (INSD) began its journey in 2011 under the leadership of Mr. Sunjey Aggarwal. Today, INSD has over 60 campuses across India, and thousands of students have graduated from the institution. Taking the legacy forward, the young Executive Director of INSD, Mr. Pranav Raj Aggarwal, has brought several national and international collaborations, making INSD the first choice for design aspirants in the country looking to upgrade their knowledge and creative skills.
INSD offers a wide range of programs from undergraduate to graduate levels, as well as professional development courses.
It provides scholarships and placement assistance to the students. The school is committed to providing a highly stimulating learning environment that is student-centric and promotes creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. All the courses offered by INSD are mainly skill oriented and based on NEP 2020. The institution serves as a career launching point for new budding designers in Interior, Fashion, Jewellery, Textile, Graphic, Gaming, and Animation design. The Institution offers Diploma, Bachelors, Masters, Certification and short term courses in Skill development. INSD provides students with internship and work experience opportunities with leading companies and organizations in the creative industry The International School of Design opened its new flagship centres at Bengaluru and Mysuru. The centres will be under the dynamic leadership of INSD Master Franchise Licensee owner for south India & Bhuvi Designs Director, Dr. Ambika and her daughter, Ms. Ashika. And Bangalore centres Licensee owners Mrs. Urmila Sharma JP Nagar, Ms. Akshatha Jayanagar and Mrs. Sushmitha Mysuru. The INSDIANS team is confident that the new centres in Mysuru and Bengaluru will provide an excellent learning platform for all design aspirants who come to study at this well-known national brand.
Latest study reveals 9 out of 10 customers in India want cars with a safety rating
Survey commissioned by Škoda Auto India and conducted by NIQ BASES 92% customers want cars in India to be crash-tested and given a safety rating 47.6% customers prioritise safety over other features in a car Crash-rating tops list of priorities for car purchase decision Fuel efficiency takes third place for car purchase decision 91% feel incentivising cars based on safety features will be very effective Only 30% of all customers are aware of separate child/rear occupants safety rating A 5-star crash rating is the most preferred crash rating for car purchase
Mumbai, June 28, 2023 – A study was conducted among customers to gauge their feature preferences, when it comes to choosing a personal car. The survey was commissioned by Škoda Auto India and conducted by NIQ BASES. It revealed a heavy inclination among customers towards the safety features of the car with 9 out of 10 customers who thought all cars in India should have a safety rating. Crash-ratings and number of airbags were the top two features driving the consumer car purchase decision as derived from the survey results. Fuel-efficiency, one of the popular features, occupied third place.
About 67% of the respondents consisted of current car owners who owned a car above Rs 5 lakh. Some 33% did not own a car, but intended to purchase one above Rs 5 lakh within a year. The survey was conducted on individuals between 18 and 54 years of age in the SEC A and B bracket, with 80% respondents being male, and 20% female.
The car’s crash rating was the top driver of customer car purchase decision with an importance score of 22.3% followed by number of airbags with an importance score of 21.6%. Fuel efficiency emerged as the third most important driver with importance score of 15.0% when purchasing a car.
When it comes to crash rating for cars, maximum customer preference of 22.2% was observed for a 5-star rating followed closely by 21.3% preference for a 4-star rating. Crash rating of zero is the least preferred with only 6.8% score. While the awareness about existence of 2 sets of 5-star safety ratings on crash tests is high at about 76%, only about 30% of all customers in India identify child/rear occupants safety rating as being one of those two sets.
Petr Šolc, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said, “For us at Škoda, safety is part of our DNA and it is our philosophy to build safe cars. We have an over 50-year legacy with crash-tests and safety. And since 2008, every Škoda car has been crash-tested globally, and in India, with a 5-star safety rating. The survey reveals Škoda to be perceived as among the top-3 brands having models with high safety ratings. With India’s rapidly growing infrastructure, and the upcoming proposals for India’s own crash-testing standards, it is heartening to see consumers being aware of and demanding safety. This is the right way forward. And Škoda will continue focusing on these values to grow the brand in the Indian market.”
Amrita Srivastava, Regional Director (APMEA),BASES Speciality Sales, NIQ BASES, “The survey, which was done using NIQ BASES solution – FPO (Feature Price Optimiser) based on discrete choice methodology, revealed that the customer places the safety feature of ‘Crash Rating‘ among the tested features(1), at the forefront of their purchasing criteria. Our Feature Price Optimiser (FPO) leverages customer choices to understand their purchase behavior and trade-offs that they are willing to make. The survey covered 1,000 people in 10 states across India. The states covered were Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.”
Alejandro Furas, Secretary General Global NCAP, “Since 2014 Global NCAP has been encouraging a market shift in India for safer cars. We have been delighted with the positive response from consumers and the impact this has had on accelerating automaker safety design improvements. This recent survey demonstrates that consumers see safety as a priority in making a purchasing decision. A strong market indicator that safety sells cars as well as saving lives.”
With a major focus on safety from the Government of India and other regulators, the study was conducted to gauge the perception of safety in cars among consumers. The survey went about tracking the features which were the most discriminating in driving consumer choice. And the position of safety in this list of features. The interview flow consisted of screening questions, followed by an explanation of features and a virtual shopping exercise where customers were asked to pick and choose the most preferred concept consisting of different features The survey also had few additional questions on which direct customer responses were captured to understand their awareness/sentiments on some safety related aspects/initiatives.
The 10 features tested in the survey were: Roof Type, Ventialated/Non Ventilated Seats, No. Of Airbags, Electronic Stability, Build Quality, Crash Rating, Fuel x Fuel Efficiency, Transmission, Body-Type, Performance & Dyanamics. Out of the above 10 features, Crash rating, No. Of airbags & Electronic stability were considered as the safety features.
Further information Škoda Auto India Saurabh Dedhia Product and Brand Communications T – +91 22 3313 7046 saurabh.dedhia@skoda-auto.co.in MSL India Ankit Daswani Associate Director T – +91 9833559433 ankit.daswani@mslgroup.com
Škoda Auto is successfully steering through the new decade with the Next Level – Škoda Strategy 2030. aims to be one of the five best-selling brands in Europe by 2030 with an attractive line-up in the entry-level segments and additional e-models. is emerging as the leading European brand in important growth markets such as India or North Africa. currently offers its customers twelve passenger-car series: the Fabia, Rapid, Scala, Octavia and Superb as well as the Kamiq, Karoq, Kodiaq, Enyaq iV, Enyaq Coupé iV, Slavia and Kushaq. delivered over 731,000 vehicles to customers around the world in 2022. has been a member of the Volkswagen Group for 30 years. The Volkswagen Group is one of the most successful vehicle manufacturers in the world. independently manufactures and develops not only vehicles but also components such as MEB battery systems, engines and transmissions in association with the Group. operates at three sites in the Czech Republic; has additional production capacity in China, Slovakia and India primarily through Group partnerships, as well as in Ukraine with a local partner. employs over 40,000 people globally and is active in over 100 markets.
Škoda Auto India fascinating customers in India since 2001. offers 3 models in India – Slavia, Kushaq and Kodiaq present in more than 140 cities across the country with over 240 customer touchpoints recorded triple digit growth of 125% with 53,721 units sold in 2022
Škoda Auto India website – http://www.škoda-auto.co.in Škoda Auto India Communications Twitter Handle – @SkodaIndia_PR
NIQ BASES NIQ, the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, reveals new pathways to growth for retailers and consumer goods manufacturers. With operations in more than 100 countries, NIQ delivers the most complete and clear understanding of consumer buying behaviour through an advanced business intelligence platform with integrated predictive analytics. NIQ delivers the Full View. NIQ was founded in 1923 and is an Advent International portfolio company. For more information, visit NIQ.com
50% of adolescent girls (aged 15 years to 19 years) in poor urban areas do not have access to hygienic methods of managing periods Economically developed states like Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and the union territory of Delhi exhibited a higher adoption rate of hygienic methods
Bengaluru / June 23, 2023: UNESCO India and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, one of India’s top ten universities according to the NIRF 2023 Rankings, have joined forces to launch a campaign aimed at raising awareness about menstrual health and hygiene management, particularly among women, including young girls attending school Bengaluru during an event organized by the Gender Equality and Integrated Holistic Health Working Groups of C20 India at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Bengaluru Campus, with the support of OMNEX. Introducing five teaching-learning modules developed by UNESCO India with Procter & Gamble, Whisper, the campaign was nationally inaugurated at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad on the 8th of June 2023. These modules address the various challenges associated with menstrual health and hygiene management, such as disability, gender, educators, young adults, and nutrition.
Titled “Spotlight Red,” the teaching-learning modules offer comprehensive resources and strategies for learners, educators, menstruators, and community leaders. Their purpose is to enhance understanding and skills related to menstruation management while fostering awareness about its societal impact. The modules aim to empower adolescents from diverse backgrounds, including girls with disabilities, by providing them with access to period and puberty education. Moreover, they seek to create a supportive environment through interventions at the school, state, and national levels, enabling these adolescents to continue their education.
UNESCO India and P&G also launched a National Survey and Gap Analysis report on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management under the #KeepGirlsinSchool campaign. The report revealed that in poor urban areas, 50% of adolescent girls (aged 15 to 19) lack access to hygienic methods for managing their periods. However, economically developed states like Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and the union territory of Delhi exhibited a higher adoption rate of hygienic methods. More than 220 people attended the event, including girl students, teachers from various schools in Bengaluru, along with civil society organisations. The #KeepGirlsinSchool initiative enjoys the support of advocacy partners, including the UNESCO Chair for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham the Civil20 India Working Groups on Gender Equality and Integrated Holistic Health and OMNEX.
Distinguished guests attending the launch included Chief Guest Mrs. B. B. Cauvery, IAS, State Project Director, Samagra Shikshana Karnataka; Mrs. Rupali Ganguli, Indian Television, Actress; Dr. Akkai Padmashali, Transgender rights activist; Dr. Huma Masood, Senior Gender Specialist, UNESCO India; Ms. Kruti Desai, Communications Head, Whisper, Procter and Gamble India; Dr Manoj P., Dean, School of Business, Campus Director, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Bengaluru, Dr. Sriram Devanathan, Principal, School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Bengaluru During the event, renowned Indian television actress, Mrs. Rupali Ganguli, said, “Today, 1 in 5 girls drop out of school due to a lack of menstruation education and products. Shockingly, 70% of girls are unaware of periods when they first experience them. Even mothers who are girl’s closest friends, teachers, lack knowledge about the science of periods. I take immense pride in collaborating with Whisper and UNESCO to unveil inclusive and exhaustive teaching modules. All of us can be changemakers and contribute in our own small ways to ensure that the daughters of this country can attend school and experience their first period without confusion or embarrassment. They should be able to live, play, and study with confidence and comfort. I am glad that I got the chance to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene and health and be the changemaker.”
Dr. Huma Masood, Gender Specialist at UNESCO New Delhi Multisectoral Regional Office, stated, “It is time to acknowledge the alarming statistics: an estimated 23 million girls drop out of school each year due to the lack of proper menstrual health and hygiene management. This partnership marks a crucial step forward in ensuring that every learner, every menstruator, is empowered and no one is left behind. With a comprehensive approach combining education and advocacy, we have developed five teaching learning modules dedicated to addressing this issue. Our first thematic area focuses on menstrual health and hygiene for gender empowerment, recognizing the gendered impact of menstruation on all genders. We firmly believe that by incorporating a gender lens, we can create a more inclusive and equitable educational environment. We have also developed a module that covers age-appropriate, rights-based, and skill-based education for early childhood care to tertiary education. Through critical thinking, discussions, and decision-making, we aim to instill a sense of empowerment and reflection in young minds.”
She further added, “In our pursuit of inclusive and equitable access to menstruation-related support, we must challenge the prevailing shame, stigma, and misconceptions surrounding menstruation. We acknowledge that menstruation is a natural process and have worked in collaboration with governments to ensure equal access to menstrual products and education. Our programs and schemes are aimed at bridging the gap and providing necessary support. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current realities in India, we conducted a gap analysis and survey report in seven states: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. This qualitative and quantitative initiative brings to light the challenges and opportunities within the education system.”
Chief Guest Mrs. B. B. Cauvery, IAS, State Project Director, Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, said, “Menstrual health and hygiene management is a crucial topic that demands our attention. Cultural practices that ostracize women and perpetuate discrimination must be challenged. We need to empower girls, break barriers, and provide clean facilities in schools. Access to sanitary pads and clean water is essential. Let’s prioritize nutrition and address the societal factors that lead to school dropouts and child marriages. We must unite and include all children, including transgender and those with special needs. Collaboration with knowledge partners is vital, and we need to break the silence and remove the taboo surrounding menstruation. Acceptance and equality should be embraced by all. Together, we can create a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.”
While sharing her experience, Dr Akkai Padmashali, Transgender rights activist, said, “I was born male, but I transformed into a female. I yearned to understand what it truly means to be a woman. But being a woman is not as simple as it seems; it means fighting against patriarchy, dominance, and societal expectations. In 2012, I underwent gender affirmation surgery, and as I lay on the hospital bed in Bangalore, seven bedsheets soaked in blood, I emerged as a transgender woman. I shared this truth with my mother, who warned me of the challenges women face in society. She spoke of the monthly pain she endures, reminding me that pain knows no gender, sex, or sexuality. Pain is universal. And so, I questioned the constructs that bind us. Fortunately, the government in Karnataka has taken steps to address women’s concerns through guarantees and initiatives. I extend my gratitude for such inclusive perspectives which has instilled hope within us, ensuring that our diverse identities find acceptance in society. As an intersex person, a transgender individual, a lesbian, a gay person, or anyone who falls under the umbrella of gender diversity, I long for a society that understands and celebrates our existence. It is through self-confidence, self-respect, self-love, and self-equality that we can truly effect change in any society.”
Dr Manoj P, Dean, School of Business, Campus Director, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Bengaluru, said, “In our brief existence, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has emerged as a beacon of research, innovation, and advocacy for sustainable development, gender equality, and technological advancements. Our commitment to making a difference in society has been recognized by the Government of India, placing us among the top five universities in the country. We are honored to host the launch of the teaching learning module on menstrual health and hygiene management in Karnataka. Our esteemed Chancellor, Amma, graces this occasion, symbolizing our university’s pursuit of academic excellence and social responsibility.”
During the event, UNESCO showcased a comprehensive survey and gap analysis report, accompanied by a series of short films that effectively portrayed different dimensions of Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management. These films shed light on the diverse experiences and perspectives related to this vital subject matter, spanning across seven states in India. To further break down barriers and eliminate stigma surrounding periods, an empowering “Pride of Period Anthem” was also presented, fostering a more promising and inclusive future for all individuals who menstruate.
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