Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana: Key Highlights

Why Was PMMVY Needed?

When a poor woman is pregnant, she faces a lot of problems that no one talks about. She is not able to take a break from work, even in the last few months of her pregnancy or the first few weeks after giving birth. Rest is a luxury for her. Also, good, nutritious food is rare. The outcome is what you would expect: underweight babies, undernourished mothers, anaemic babies, and births without any medical assistance.

This deficiency was already recognised in the National Food Security Act, 2013 of India. It has set a maternity benefit of at least ₹6,000 for every pregnant woman and lactating mother, except those in regular government or PSU employment. The PMMVY was launched to actually monetise the legal right in a woman's bank account.

What Are the Objectives of PMMVY?

There are two distinct goals of PMMVY. First of all, adequate financial compensation to the ladies, to ensure that they can rest before and after childbirth. Second, linking each health service to a particular health condition, such as registration, antenatal check-up and vaccination, so that the cash is directly used to improve maternal and child health practices. This incentive will push them to leave their homes and get checked regularly.

Who Is Eligible for PMMVY?

The scheme covers women from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Any woman falling under one or more of the following categories is eligible:

• Women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
• Women who are partially (40%) or fully disabled- Divyang Jan
• BPL ration card holders
• Women who are beneficiaries under PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) coming under Ayushman Bharat
• Women holding an E-Shram card
• Women farmers who are beneficiaries under the Kisan Samman Nidhi
• Women holding an MGNREGA Job Card
• Women whose net family income is less than ₹8 lakh per annum
• Pregnant and Lactating Anganwadi Workers, Anganwadi Helpers, and ASHAs themselves
• Women holding a Ration Card under the NFSA Act 2013

The beneficiary's eligible age is between 18 years and 7 months and 55 years at the time of the child's birth. Women who are regular employees of the Central Government, State Government, or any PSU are not eligible since they already receive similar benefits. And cases of miscarriage or stillbirth are treated as fresh cases, and the woman remains fully eligible for a subsequent pregnancy.

How Much Does PMMVY Pay and When?

Instalment breakdown under PMMVY 2.0 (effective 1 April 2022)

What Changed in PMMVY 2.0?

PMMVY 2.0 brought several real improvements over the original version. In PMMVY 1.0, Aadhaar was only mandatory for the third instalment. Now it is mandatory at registration itself. The first child benefit was paid in three instalments; it is now paid in two. There was no provision for the second child earlier. Now ₹6,000 is provided if the second child is a girl. Self-registration was earlier available only as a pilot in Delhi and UP. It is now available pan-India through the portal and mobile app. And cases of miscarriage had no re-registration provision earlier; they are now treated as a fresh beneficiary case.

How Is the Money Transferred?

All payments under PMMVY are made through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), credited directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank or post office account. After the application is filled out online and approved by a block-level officer, the money is credited directly. No cash is handed over at any counter. The bank or post office account must be Aadhaar-mapped. If not, the beneficiary should have it linked before applying.

How to Register for PMMVY

Citizens can register online through the official PMMVY portal, pmmvy.wcd.gov.in, by directly logging in. The Anganwadi worker or ASHA worker (the nearest) may also complete the form for the beneficiary on the portal or in the PMMVY mobile app.

On the other hand, offline registration can be done at the nearest Anganwadi Centre or any government-approved healthcare facility with the required documents. The Anganwadi worker will enter the information in the portal.

An important point to remember is that a beneficiary may register on the PMMVY portal at any time within 270 days of the child's birth. Thus, there is an opportunity to claim the benefit even if registration is delayed.

Documents Required

The paperwork is not complicated. At the time of registration, the following are needed:

• Aadhaar card is mandatory
• Aadhaar-mapped bank or post office account details
• Mobile number is mandatory for status updates and payment alerts
• MCP/RCHI card
• LMP date and ANC dates
• The child's birth certificate and immunisation record are needed for the second instalment.

For eligibility proof, any one of the following works- BPL ration card, MGNREGA job card, E-Shram card, Kisan Samman Nidhi certificate, PMJAY card, income certificate below ₹8 lakh, SC/ST certificate, or Divyang certificate.

You may like to read: Create Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) Card

Role of Anganwadi and ASHA Workers

The true pillars of the ground-level implementation of PMMVY are Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers. They conduct awareness programmes in their communities, help women fill the applications online, link Aadhaar to bank accounts, keep monitoring application status and identify eligible women. The government also offers an incentive to them in the form of DBT, for every eligible application they process, DBT is remunerated directly in their Aadhaar-linked accounts.

Impact of PMMVY So Far

Key outcomes since the scheme's launch across India

Why PMMVY Matters

Each successful installment under PMMVY is a woman who registered her pregnancy and attended the antenatal check-ups for her pregnancy under PMSMA, who delivered her baby in a hospital supported by JSY and who immunized her child, all with real money. In case of complications, medicines, diagnostics and transport were covered by JSSK and health insurance extended to her family by Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana. One safety net, multiple schemes, good policy making.

For benefits visit the nearest Anganwadi Centre or pmmvy.wcd.gov.in. Your ASHA worker will be able to take you through with PMMVY, JSY, JSSK, PMSMA. If you know someone in need and are able to assist someone to get access to these, it just might save their life.