(a) whether the Ministry has taken note that under the National Food Security Act, all pregnant women except those already receiving similar benefits under other schemes are entitled to maternity benefits of Rs. 6,000 per child;
(b) if so, how does the Ministry justify restricting the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) to the first living child; and
(c) thereasons behind the decision of the Ministry in restricting PMMVY benefits to Rs. 5,000 instead of Rs. 6,000?
ANSWER
MINISTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a) to (c) The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides that subject to such schemes as may be framed by the Central Government, every Pregnant Women &Lactating Mother (PW&LM), except those who are in regular employment with the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law for the time being in force, shall be entitled to maternity benefit of not less than rupees six thousand, in such instalments as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
Under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), maternal benefit of Rs. 5,000/- is provided in three instalments to eligible Pregnant Women & lactating Mothers (PW&LM) during the period of pregnancy and lactation. The eligible beneficiary also receives the remaining cash incentive as per approved norms towards maternity benefit under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman gets Rs. 6,000/-.
The maternity benefits under PMMVY are available to the eligible beneficiaries for first living child of family. Normally, the first pregnancy of a woman exposes her to new kinds of challenges and stress factors. Hence, the scheme provides support to the mother for safe delivery and immunization of her first living child.
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