The government’s maternity benefit scheme, or Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, has crossed 1.75 crores, eligible women, till the financial year 2020, the Centre informed Parliament.

PMMVY

• The PMMVY is a maternity benefit program introduced in 2017 and is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• It is a conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant and lactating women of 19 years of age or above for the first live birth.
• It provides partial wage compensation to women for wage-loss during childbirth and childcare and to provide conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices.
• Under the scheme, pregnant women and lactating mothers receive ₹5,000 on the birth of their first child in three instalments, after fulfilling certain conditionalities.
• In 2013, the scheme was brought under the National Food Security Act, 2013 to implement the provision of cash maternity benefit stated in the Act.
• The direct benefit cash transfer is to help expectant mothers meet enhanced nutritional requirements as well as to partially compensate them for wage loss during their pregnancy.

Eligibility Conditions and Conditionalities

The first transfer (at pregnancy trimester) of ₹1,000 requires the mother to:

• Register pregnancy at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC) whenever she comes to know about her conception
• Attend at least one prenatal care session and taking Iron-folic acid tablets and TT1 (tetanus toxoid injection), and
• Attend at least one counselling session at the AWC or healthcare centre.

The second transfer (six months of conception) of ₹2,000 requires the mother to:

• Attend at least one prenatal care session and TT2

The third transfer (three and a half months after delivery) of ₹2,000 requires the mother to:

• Register the birth
• Immunize the child with OPV and BCG at birth, at six weeks and at 10 weeks
• Attend at least two growth monitoring sessions within three months of delivery

Additionally, the scheme requires the mother to:

• Exclusively breastfeed for six months and introduce complementary feeding as certified by the mother
• Immunize the child with OPV and DPT
• Attend at least two counselling sessions on growth monitoring and infant and child nutrition and feeding between the third and sixth months after delivery

Before judging this factual information, take this PYQ form 2019:

Q.Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017?

1. Pregnant women are entitled to three months pre-delivery and three months post-delivery paid leave.
2. Enterprises with creches must allow the mother a minimum of six crèche visits daily.
3. Women with two children get reduced entitlements.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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