Question : INDIRA GANDHI MATRITVA SAHYOG YOJANA

(a) the salient features of Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) scheme;

(b) the status of its implementation along with the extent to which the said scheme has been successful in achieving its objectives, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government has any proposal to revise the said scheme with a view to address the nutritional problems in ante-natal care and post-natal care of women;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government has incorporated the provisions in accordance with the National Food Security Act, 2013 in the said scheme, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(f) whether some States/UTs are facing problems in implementation of the said scheme, if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise including Odisha; and

(g) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government thereon?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

(a): Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) is a centrally sponsored scheme for pregnant and lactating (P & L) women to improve their health & nutrition status by contributing to better enabling environment and provi- ding maternity benefit @ Rs. 6000 in two equal instalments in their Bank/Post Office Account. The scheme is implemented using the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) platform.

(b): IGMSY is being implemented in 53 pilot districts of the country from October, 2010. The scheme has stabilised in most of the States/UTs now. The beneficiary coverage in IGMSY has gone up from 259 in 2010-11 to around six lakh in 2013-14, indicating that the pregnant and lactating women are availing the health and nutrition services. The details of State/UT-wise funds released, utilized and beneficiary coverage under the scheme during the last three years and the current year is at Annex-I & II.

(c) & (d): Although the revision of the IGMSY is under consideration in the Ministry, the nutritional problems in ante-natal care and post-natal care of women are already being addressed in the existing scheme.

(e): As per the provision of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, the Ministry has revised the entitlement of the maternity benefit in the existing IGMSY from Rs.4000 to Rs.6000 per beneficiary with effect from 5th July, 2013. The revision and expansion of the IGMSY in accordance with the NFSA, 2013 is under consideration in the Ministry. P & L mothers for first two live births, from eligible households as defined under the NFSA, 2013 irrespective of their age, are proposed to be covered as beneficiaries under the revised scheme.

(f): The States of Tamil Nadu and Odisha have reported the problem regarding the number of instalments and their timings for disbursement of maternity benefits under the Scgeme as these State Governments are implementing their own maternity benefit schemes.

(g): In the revised IGMSY, it is proposed to give flexibility mainly in terms of number of instalments and their timings to those States/UTs, who are implementing their own scheme and are giving maternity benefits in more than two instalments.