Securing Motherhood: Rs.5000/- will be provided to pregnant women of Maharashtra

Mumbai, November 22: Seems Maharashtra government wants to secure its women from every side. After proposing for speeding up the functioning of welfare schemes for women, now Maharashtra government set to provide Rs. 5000/- to pregnant women under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. 

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana- is a maternity benefit programme introduced by the centre to bring down maternal and infant mortality rate by providing cash of Rs 5,000 to pregnant women.

The decision taken by the state cabinet on Tuesday is likely to benefit about eight lakh women this year. The scheme provides monetary benefits to women for wage-loss owing to childbirth, childcare, safe delivery and good nutrition during pregnancy. “The benefits of the scheme will be available to women registered at the government hospitals for pregnancy,” said Dr Deepak Sawant, State Public Health Minister.

The monetary help will be given in three phases. However, those on paid maternal leave will not be eligible for the scheme. The state government has made provision of Rs140 Crore, as part of its 40% share. The rest of the expenses will be borne by the Centre, said Dr. Sawant

Maharashtra ranks third, after Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in terms of low infant mortality. As per 2016 statistics, the mortality rate in the state has come down to 19 deaths per 1,000 births. The rate dropped from 24 deaths per thousand births in 2013 to 22 in 2014, 21 in 2015.