Around 36 lakh girls studying in classes VII to XII in government schools would be paid Rs 150 per annum to buy sanitary napkins.

The scheme that aims at ensuring menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls would be launched on Monday.

Amit Kumar, an official of the education department, said: "The amount would be distributed at camps the department would organise in schools from July 20 to 27."

Sources said the scheme, which chief minister Nitish Kumar had announced in 2014, would burden the state with an additional bill of Rs 54 crore.

Questions have been raised over the mode of delivering the benefits of the scheme. Magadh Mahila College teacher Suheli said: "Instead of money, the government should have given sanitary napkins to the students."