Gandhinagar, Sep 15 (IANS) As Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel completed four years in office on September 13, one of the most visible achievements of his tenure has been in the field of maternal and child health.

Launched in February 2024, the Namo Shree Yojana has rapidly grown into one of the state’s most ambitious social security initiatives for women.

In just 18 months, the scheme has reached over 6.21 lakh mothers with financial assistance worth Rs 354 crore, while nearly 11 lakh women have registered as beneficiaries.

Under the scheme, eligible women receive up to Rs 12,000 in phased financial support during their first two pregnancies. The benefits are provided in coordination with central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) and the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), ensuring both nutrition and institutional healthcare access for mothers.

The disbursement process is conducted through the state’s TeCHO+ portal, with digital document verification and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, making the scheme transparent and time-bound.

Health experts credit the programme with contributing to a remarkable improvement in maternal health indicators. Gujarat’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined by 54.5 per cent in the past decade, from 112 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2013 to just 51 in 2023.

This puts Gujarat well ahead of the national average of 88 and allows the state to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing MMR below 70 by 2030 — seven years early.

Beyond Namo Shree, Gujarat has strengthened maternal and child health through complementary schemes like SUMAN, PMSMA, Mamta, and Khilkhilat, all of which aim to reduce risks during pregnancy and ensure proper nutrition and care.

From financial empowerment to healthcare access, the Namo Shree Yojana is not only reshaping maternal health outcomes but also becoming a symbol of Chief Minister Patel’s governance focus on women’s empowerment and inclusive development.

–IANS

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