PMMVY SCHEME: BENEFIT + IGNORANCE
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a benefit scheme providing financial aid of Rs 5000/- to all pregnant women and lactating mothers. However, BMC T-Ward Social Development Officer, Dr. Rahul Hivare, informed Home Times that in Mulund just 100 women have benefitted from the scheme while more than 3000 women who are its beneficiaries, have still not taken the benefit as they are not aware of the scheme. Hence, through Home Times, Dr. Rahul Hivare enlightens the ladies about the scheme and urges them to approach Anganwadi and Health Centres and take advantage of the PMMVY Scheme!
Speaking to Home Times, Dr. Rahul Hivare said, “Thousands of ladies in India are under-nourished due to poverty. The burden of economic stress is so much that, to make both ends meet, these ladies work even during their pregnancy. Tragically, post pregnancy they resume work immediately. However, this results not only in the birth of a mal-nourished baby, but even mal-nourished mothers who are so weak that they are unable to breastfeed their infants. Hence, with the noble intention of providing financial help to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and new-born babies across India, the government has initiated the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), a maternity benefit scheme which provides money to help mother and child become strong post pregnancy.”
Dr. Rahul Hivare added, “Under the scheme, the government allocates Rs 5000/- in different slabs and the money is deposited in the bank account of the pregnant lady.”
Major advantage PMMVY Scheme
The beneficiary lady gets Rs. 5000 cash in three instalments i.e. the first instalment of Rs 1000/- on early registration of pregnancy at the Anganwadi Centre or Health Centre. They have to submit a prescribed application in Form 1-A. This form is available at Mantralaya and any Child Welfare Centre.
The second instalment of Rs. 2000/ – after six months of pregnancy on receiving at least one ante-natal check-up and the third instalment of Rs 2000/ – after childbirth is registered and the child has received the first cycle of BCG, OPV, DPT and Hepatitis – B, or its equivalent/ substitute.
Ladies who are not eligible under the PMMVY Scheme
The PMMVY Scheme is not applicable to those ladies who are employed with the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking because these ladies have the provision of maternity benefits in their regular salaries.
Similarly, ladies working in private companies or corporate sectors, too, enjoy maternity benefits under some laws and regulations of their firms. Hence, these ladies also are barred from the PMMVY Scheme.
Ladies may deliver at any private hospital, too
Ladies may kindly note that the PMMVY Scheme is not restricted to only those ladies who will deliver at civil hospitals. Ladies who wish to deliver at a private hospital can also benefit from the Scheme, but the only condition is that they have to inform the nearby Anganwadi or Health Centre about their pregnancy within 5 months of being pregnant.
Age criterion
The mandatory age to secure benefit under thePMMVY Scheme is 19 years.
