Why in news?
The government stated in the Rajya Sabha that the number of beneficiaries has exceeded the government’s target of 51.7 lakh per year in each of the last three years under the maternity benefit programme known as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
What is it?
- The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 31, 2016.
- It is a Maternity Benefit Programme brought under the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 and it is implemented in all the districts of the country.
- The scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme and executed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- The main objective of the scheme is to provide partial compensation to the women in place of wage loss so that she can take proper rest during and after the delivery of the first living child. The cash incentive is provided with an aim to enhance the nutritional seeking behaviour amongst the Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.
- PMMVY provides benefit of ₹5,000 in three instalments to eligible beneficiaries. On the other hand ₹1,000 is provided for institutional births under Janani Suraksha Yojana and this scheme is clubbed with PMMVY. So altogether mothers get Rs.6000 in maternity benefit.
- Beneficiaries: Women who are employed under Central Government or the State Governments or Public Sector Undertaking (PSUs) are excluded.
- All Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers who do not receive any similar incentive under any other law are eligible.
Issues with the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana:
- Exclusion Error- According to a report by the Centre for Policy Research 2019-20, the estimated eligible numbers of pregnant and lactating mothers in India was 128.7 lakh for 2017-18. On the contrary the Government set the target of 51.70 lakh beneficiaries, which is only 40% of the eligible population. Even the target has remained unchanged over the years.
- Lack of awareness- The study found that only 8% of pregnant women and 23% of nursing mothers received benefits. It highlighted the need for higher awareness among the women regarding the scheme.
- Under funding- Even though the Government is working hard to improve the status of maternal and child health, but the overall budget reduced by 20% for women and child development in 2021-22.
- Implementation Gaps- Due to implementation gaps in the PMMVY scheme the coverage is reduced and these gaps are result of lack of awareness within targeted beneficiaries and process level challenges.
- Complicated Document Compliance- The registration process also impedes proper implementation of the scheme. It includes large number of documents such as Aadhaar card, mother-child protection card, husband’s Aadhaar card and bank passbook aside from linking their bank accounts with Aadhaar.
- The National Food Security Act, 2013 entitled every pregnant woman and lactating mother to receive benefit but the scheme is providing maternity benefit only to the mother of the first living child. So the activists are considering it the violation of the National Food Security Act, 2013.
Way Forward-
The targets of the Sustainable Development Goal of improving maternal health can be achieved but it needs the revisit of the design and implementation of the scheme. The government should take some good steps to tackle the prevailing challenges of the scheme. Some initiatives should be like,
- Simplifying Procedures of registration,
- Extention of Maternity Benefits for second live birth,
- Increasing Maternity Benefit Amount.