The Government of India has launched an impactful initiative called the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which aims to support pregnant women across the nation in their battle against poverty and hunger. One of the major highlights of the yojana is that it provides unmatched financial assistance to pregnant women, ensuring they receive the necessary support during this important phase of their lives.
Under the PMMVY, pregnant women are entitled to receive a financial benefit of Rs. 5,000 for their first pregnancy and Rs. 6,000 for their second pregnancy. This assistance is structured to minimize the financial burden that often accompanies childbirth and early childcare. The funds are then directly transferred to the bank accounts of eligible women, which ensures a seamless and efficient distribution process. Not only does it help minimize delays, but it also enhances transparency and accountability.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) and understand its objective, eligibility criteria, details of financial assistance, how to apply, and more.
What is the Prime Minister's Matru Vandana Yojana?
In simple terms, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana or Prime Minister’s Maternity Vandan Scheme, is launched by the government of India to support pregnant women facing poverty and hunger. Speaking of the yojana, women shall receive Rs. 5,000 for their first pregnancy and Rs. 6,000 for their second child.
Furthermore, the scheme assigns an Anganwadi worker to take care of the woman until the child is born. The Anganwadi worker provides the woman with essential safety information and guidance related to childbirth to ensure a healthy and successful delivery. Remember that women are also liable to get free delivery services at government hospitals, where they receive comprehensive care during and after childbirth.
Objective of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
Here is a list of the objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
- Provide Financial Assistance for Wage Loss Compensation
One of the primary objectives of the scheme is that it offers a cash incentive that compensates for the wage loss experienced by women during pregnancy and after childbirth. Furthermore, this financial support ensures that women can take adequate rest both before and after the delivery of their first child which can promote their health and well-being.
- Encourage Health-Oriented Behaviour
Another major objective of the scheme is to enhance health-seeking behaviour among pregnant women and lactating mothers. With quick and better financial assistance from the government, women can seek proper medical care and follow strict health guidelines during pregnancy and postpartum.
- Promote Positive Behavioural Change Toward Girl Child
Another major objective of the yojana is to promote a positive change towards the birth of a girl child. The government of India knows this, and thus, to support it, they offer an additional cash incentive for the second child if it’s a girl. Thus, it would help encourage the acceptance and value of girl children and support gender equality in society.
Eligibility criteria required for application in PMMVY
Here are the eligibility criteria that one should consider before thinking about enrolling in Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
- The individual should be an Indian citizen.
- The age of the applicant (woman) should be more than 19 years or more.
- Anganwadi assistants, Anganwadi workers, and ASHA workers are also eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme.
- The applicant woman’s bank account must be linked with her Aadhar Card and also has a registered mobile number.
What Would be the Financial Assistance under PM Maternity Vandana Yojana?
Let’s examine the categorization of benefits for a woman who is going to be a “mother” for the first time.
| Installments | Conditions | Amount |
| 1st Installment | On registration of pregnancy and at least one Ante-natal checkup within 6 months from the LMP Date at the Anganwadi centre (AWC)/approved health facilities may be identified by the respective administering state/UT. | Rs. 3000 |
| 2nd Installment | It will given only if childbirth is registered. The child has received the first cycle of BCG, OPV, DPT, and Hepatitis B or its equivalent/substitute. | Rs. 2,000 |
Note: If a woman has a miscarriage or stillbirth, she shall be considered a new beneficiary for any future pregnancies.
Benefits of the Maternity Vandana Scheme
Let’s take a look at the benefits of the PM Maternity Vandan Scheme.
- Financial Assistance
One of the major benefits of the yojana is that it provides financial support to pregnant women, which ensures that they can better care for themselves and their babies during and after pregnancy.
- Improved Healthcare Services
Another major benefit of the scheme is that it ensures that pregnant women receive more comfortable and relevant healthcare assistance. Thus, this kind of improvement in healthcare facilities may contribute to better health outcomes for mothers and their babies.
- Population Control
One of the major benefits of the scheme is that it creates awareness about the benefits of having fewer children. The scheme also supports the birth of girls. Furthermore, it focuses on the fact that families can thrive and receive unmatched and relevant support without the need to have many children.
- Educational Encouragement
One of the biggest highlights of the scheme is that women will be encouraged to pursue education which would empower them and enable them to provide a better future for their children.
- Financial Independence
Last but not least, the scheme provides unmatched financial support, which would help women gain a degree of independence. Furthermore, it enables them to make informed decisions about their lives and their families’ well-being.
How to apply Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana?
If you are planning to enrol yourself in PM Matru Vandana Yojana, here are the steps to follow. Let’s first discuss the online steps and then we’ll move onto the offline steps.
- In the first step, you will need to visit the official website of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
- When you’re on the website’s home page, click on the “Citizen Login” option.
- The moment you click on it, a new page will open wherein you need to enter your mobile number. Once done, click on the “Verify” button.
- After verification, a registration form will appear. Open and complete the form. Ensure you fill in all requested information and upload the respective documents like your Aadhar card, ID proof, Residence Address, Caste Certificate (if asked), income certificate, and more.
- After uploading all the documents, you must click on the “Submit” button. After submission, you will receive a registration number.
- Congratulations- your application is now completed! The financial assistance will then be transferred to your bank account.
Offline Method:
- In the first step, you will need to visit your Anganwadi centre or health centre.
- Ensure you request the application form and then fill out the application form carefully with all required information.
- Ensure you attach all the necessary documentation with the form.
- Once done, submit the application form and documents to the Anganwadi centre.
- After submitting the form, you should receive a receipt. Ensure you keep this receipt safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Listed below are the frequently asked questions related to the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
If the beneficiary has received all the maternity benefits under the scheme and the child dies, the woman will not be able to receive further benefits from the scheme.
Pregnant women and lactating mothers who are employed by the central government, state government, or public sector undertakings.
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana was previously known as the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana before its relaunch.
The scheme is managed by the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana was launched on January 1st, 2017 and is implemented across the country.
