Reference: The scheme was recently announced by the Government of Rajasthan on a pilot basis in 4 districts. The scheme will be implemented in Udaipur, Pratapganth, Banswara, and Dungarpur, where nutritional indicators in children and anemia levels in mothers are worse than the average for the state.
Key features of the plan:
- It is a maternity benefit scheme.
- Under the scheme ₹, 6,000 will be offered for the birth of a second child.
- The government aims to reach 75,000 beneficiaries annually. It has been estimated to cost Rs 45 crore per year.
- The state plan will complement the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana which provides ₹ 5,000 for the birth of the first child.
Why pay attention to another child?
The government believes that the second child does not receive as much attention as the first child and therefore, it is important to extend this cash benefit to ensure adequate nutrition for the second child.
About PMMVY:
- This is the renamed Maternity Benefit from the erstwhile Indira Gandhi Maternal Health Cooperation Scheme (IGMSY).
- The scheme is a conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant and miscreant women.
- It provides partial wage compensation to women for wage-loss during childbirth and childcare and provides conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices.