FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF RS.1.99 CRORE GIVEN TO FIRST TIME MOTHERS IN LUDHIANA DISTRICT

Ludhiana, September 30, 2018: Under the Pardhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana started by the Union government, the District Administration is ensuring that maximum number of people avail of the facilities under this scheme. Under this scheme, a financial assistance of Rs 5,000 is being given to all the expectant mothers or the first time mothers. Since January 1, 2018 when this scheme was started, a financial assistance of Rs 1.99 crore has been given to the women registered under this scheme. To review the progress of this scheme, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Pardeep Kumar Agrawal held meeting with concerned officials in Bachat Bhawan here. While providing further information under this scheme, Mr. Agrawal informed that for availing the benefits under this scheme, the expectant mothers could register themselves at nearby Anganwadi Centres within 150 days of their last menstrual period and get themselves a “Mother Child Health Card” issued from nearby Health Centre. He informed that till date, 8916 women have got themselves registered and financial assistance of Rs 1,99,21,000 have been provided to them. This financial assistance is deposited straight into the registered beneficiary’s bank account within a month. He informed that the first instalment of Rs 1,000 would be given to the expectant mother when she gets herself registered from the day of confirmation of her conception, second instalment of Rs 2,000 would be accorded after six month during the first anti-natal examination of the expectant mother and the third and final instalment of Rs 2,000 would be handed over to the mother after the delivery and first vaccination of the baby. This financial assistance is provided to only a first time mother, who is having a single bank account on her name. He clarified that this financial assistance is totally different from the ones provided by other government departments to expectant mothers. And the women availing of maternity leave being issued by the government are not eligible to avail this scheme. To ensure that maximum number of women avail of this scheme, the village level health, sanitation and nutrition committees have been asked to hold meetings with expectant mothers and educate them regarding it. Mr. Agrawal appealed to all the expectant mothers to avail benefits under this scheme in large numbers. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Dr Shena Aggarwal and District Programme Officer Mrs Rupinder Kaur and other officials were also present in the meeting.