Motherhood requires care, support, and resources to ensure both the mother’s and the child’s well-being. Thus, the Government of India’s initiative, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), introduced in 2010 as the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana under the National Food Security Act 2013 and renamed in 2017, provides financial assistance to pregnant women and lactating mothers to ensure proper nutrition and health for the mother and the child. Besides offering women partial wage compensation for income loss during maternity and childcare responsibilities, it promotes safe childbirth, healthy nutrition, and breastfeeding practices.
Key Features
Below are some of the key features and benefits of the scheme:
- To be eligible, a woman must reside in India, 19 years or above, and not receive similar benefits under any government program.
- The cash benefits are given for the first living child, which can differ in every state, directly into the post office savings account or the bank account.
- Women must follow recommended nutritional and feeding practices, encompassing early and exclusive breastfeeding for six months.
- The program offers conditional cash transfer benefits totaling ₹5,000 distributed in three installments, except those with paid maternity leave.
How the amount is distributed
Here are the details of the amount’s distribution:
The initial transfer of ₹1,000, occurring during the pregnancy trimester, requires the mother to:
- Register her pregnancy at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC) upon confirming conception.
- Attend at least one prenatal care session, including taking Iron-folic acid tablets and receiving TT1 (tetanus toxoid injection).
- Participate in at least one counseling session at the AWC or a healthcare center.
The second transfer of ₹2,000, provided six months after conception, states that the mother should participate in at least one prenatal care session and receive TT2
The third transfer of ₹2,000, disbursed three-and-a-half months after delivery, requires the mother to undertake the following steps:
- Registers the child’s birth.
- Ensures the child receives immunization with OPV and BCG at birth, 6 weeks, and 10 weeks.
- Attends at least two growth monitoring sessions within three months of delivery.
It is advisable to check for the latest guidelines and updates from the government offices when enrolling in the scheme.
