Union minister Prakash JavadekarUnion minister Prakash Javadekar (File photo)

PUNE: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said the Centre would make it mandatory for sanitary napkin companies to provide bio-degradable disposal bags from January next year.

He was speaking at an International Women's Day event in Pune attended by waste collectors, who he referred to as "swachhta sevaks".

"I have observed that despite repeated appeal to sanitary pad manufacturers, they are still not providing bio degradable disposal bags. From January, 2021, the Union government will make such bags mandatory," said the Union minister of environment, forest and climate change.

He said cleanliness norms in force in municipal areas will now be applicable to villages having a population of more than 3,000.

