Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh), June 3 (IANS) Pregnant and lactating women in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district are being provided with better nutrition, regular health check-ups, and financial assistance for safe motherhood under the Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)is a central maternity benefit program administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Its primary objective is to provide financial assistance to pregnant and lactating mothers during the birth of their first live child to improve their nutrition and compensate for lost wages.

According to the PMMVY’s official website, thousands of mothers and newborns in the district have benefited from this scheme.

Under the scheme, eligible women receive a total of Rs 5,000 in two instalments upon the birth of their first child, from conception until the completion of the child’s prescribed vaccinations. An additional one-time assistance of Rs 6,000 is provided if the second child is a girl.

The scheme aims to provide nutritious food to pregnant women, promote safe motherhood, and reduce maternal and infant mortality.

A total of 27,053 pregnant women in Mahasamund district have benefited from the scheme since 2022-23. Of these, 14,423 women received the first instalment of over 24.32 crore to ensure they receive nutritious food and essential health services during pregnancy.

Additionally, 8,211 women have received over 1.64 crore rupees as the second instalment of assistance after completing their newborn’s scheduled vaccinations. Meanwhile, 4,420 mothers have received over 2.65 crore rupees in financial assistance after the birth of their second child, a daughter.

Speaking to IANS, women who benefited from the scheme mentioned that the funds they received helped them secure nutritious food, medicines, and other essential healthcare during their pregnancy. Many women also used this money to invest in the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) to secure their daughters’ futures.

The beneficiary woman told IANS, “We used the money we received for ourselves and our child. It helped us. This government scheme is very good.”

The district administration and the Women and Child Development Department are continuously making efforts to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach every eligible woman.

With the cooperation of Anganwadi workers and the Health Department, registration of pregnant women, regular health check-ups, and timely distribution of assistance funds are being ensured.

Collector Vinay Kumar Langeh, speaking to IANS, said that the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is playing a vital role in strengthening maternal and child health. It provides financial support to women and also promotes institutional delivery, timely health check-ups, and complete vaccination of newborns.

“27,053 women in the district have benefited from this scheme since 2022-23. This amount is very important because it empowers women and also supports the government’s fight against child malnutrition,” he said.

The scheme is yielding positive results in the district, with improvements in maternal and child health indicators. Officials say the scheme is fostering positive social change by promoting healthy mothers and healthy children, as well as encouraging the birth of daughters.

–IANS

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