Pradhan Mantri Yojana for Pregnancy (PMMVY)

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, or the PM pregnancy yojana, is a Government of India (GOI) scheme to support pregnant women and lactating mothers. It provides direct cash from ₹5000 to ₹12,000 to women who have given birth to two children, including at least one girl child. This provides for the mother and her children’s well-being and compensates for her loss of income.

The scheme came into effect on 1st January 2017 in all districts in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 of the National Food Security Act, 2013. Its main objective is to promote positive social development towards girl children in general and to prevent girl feticide by providing direct financial incentives.

Also Read: Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: Eligibility, Benefits & Interest Rates

The following are the objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana:

• Supporting Lower-Income Families: The main objective of the scheme is to financially support motherhood for socio-economically disadvantaged classes. It covers maternity-related health expenses as well as loss of income that prevents mothers in lower-income families from taking a break to care for their newborn children.

• Improving Health and Nutrition: The lump sum provided in instalments helps mothers cover a variety of childcare expenses, including essential goods, food, and medical treatment. By ensuring access to sufficient, good-quality food, the scheme improves the health of both the mother and her child.

• Promoting Health Seeking Behaviour: By tying financial incentives to deliveries at recognised healthcare centres, the scheme encourages deliveries at medical facilities. This ensures that mothers get a safe birthing environment, reducing the chances of diseases.

• Assists in Timely Vaccinations: By connecting lower-income families with professional medical practitioners, the PM Yojana for pregnant ladies ensures positive health outcomes. It allows doctors to check on the well-being of the newborn and make sure the child gets all necessary vaccinations.

• Promote Positive Behavioural Changes: By providing direct cash incentives, the PMMVY scheme aims to alter traditional behaviours that favour male children. The scheme also covers miscarriages and stillbirths, which ensures financial compensation no matter the circumstances.

The PM Matru Vandana Yojana provides monetary compensation directly to the bank account of eligible beneficiaries. The payment is made to the mother for the first two living children if one of them is a girl. For the first child, the mother will receive ₹5000 in two instalments. For the second child, she will receive ₹6000 after the child’s complete immunisation.

Check this table to understand the monetary benefits an eligible beneficiary can receive from the PMVVY scheme for pregnancy and the preconditions:

For the First Child

Total from the PM Pregnancy Yojana and JSY - ₹5000 (for first child) + ₹1000 (from JSY) = ₹6000

For the Second Child

Also Read: Government Health Insurance Schemes in India

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is meant for pregnant women and lactating mothers with financially challenging backgrounds. The scheme only covers people from socially and economically backward sections of society. The following categories of people are included:

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Categories

• Partially disabled (>40%) or fully disabled women

• Beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)

• Women belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes

• Female holders of BPL ration cards

• Female holders of ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

• Female farmers covered by Kisan Samman Nidhi

• Female beneficiaries holding an e-Shram card

• Pregnant and lactating Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)

• Women holders of the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) card

• Women whose families earn less than ₹8 lakh per annum

• Any other category added or modified by the Central Government

Eligibility for Applicants

Every beneficiary needs to meet these requirements to be eligible for the PM scheme for pregnant ladies:

• The woman must be at least 19 years of age and pregnant.

• They must have an Aadhaar number and must produce it when registering.

• The applicant must apply for the benefits within 270 days of their child’s birth.

• The scheme applies only to the first and second live births.

• If the beneficiary gives birth to twins, triplets or quadruplets in her second pregnancy, they will receive only the fixed ₹6000 coverage, as long as one of the children is a girl.

Given below is the list of exclusions under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana:

• Pregnant and lactating women who are employed by the central or state government or a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) are not eligible for the PMMVY scheme.

• Women covered under similar or equivalent government schemes may also be excluded.

• The scheme only covers the first two live births. Subsequent births are not covered by monetary benefits.

• The benefits under PMMVY are not extended to mothers with adopted children, but only to biological mothers.

• The monetary benefits of the Pregnancy Yojana are paid out only once. If a person has already received the instalments, she cannot avail them again.

• The scheme is intended for only economically and socially disadvantaged classes and not for people with high incomes.

Here is a comprehensive list of documents required to register and file claims under the Pradhan Mantri pregnant lady scheme:

For the First Instalment

• Duly signed and filled out Form 1-A

• Form 2-A or Form 2-B for seeding with a bank or post office

• Form 2-C to enrol or update Aadhaar details

• Form 3 for updating or change of details (if any)

• Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card

• Aadhaar cards of the beneficiary and her husband

• Alternative ID card (if Aadhaar is missing)

• Valid mobile phone number

• Bank/post office details (passbook or cancelled cheque)

For the Second Instalment

• Duly filled out and signed Form 1-B

• Copy of beneficiary’s MCP card with proof of registration

• At least one ANC (antenatal checkup) recorded

For the Third Instalment

• Duly signed and filled out Form 1-C

• Copy of the MCP card showing the first cycle of immunisation

• Copy of the child’s birth certificate or equivalent proof

Beneficiaries can register offline at their local Anganwadi Centre (AC) or online on the PMMVY portal of the Ministry of Women & Child Development. Here are the detailed processes of doing so:

Offline Process

Step 1: The beneficiary must visit her nearest Anganwadi Centre or approved health centre under the state or union territory with the required documents.

Step 2: Then, she needs to ask for the Form 1-A at the service desk for registration and the first claim. Then, the form must be completely filled out with the necessary details, including the beneficiary’s and her husband’s name, Aadhaar numbers, mobile number and bank/post office details.

Step 3: If the beneficiary doesn’t have a bank account, she can get help from the respective ASHA, AWW or AWH present at the centre. If the beneficiary’s Aadhaar is not seeded with her/her husband’s bank/post office account, she needs to submit a Form 2A or Form 2B.

Step 4: The applicant signs the declaration and submits the form alongside the required documents. The mandatory documents are a Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card, identity proof of both the beneficiary and her husband, and bank account details.

Step 5: The beneficiary submits the form, which is checked and verified by the Anganwadi worker. Then, she will receive an acknowledgement slip for future reference.

Online Process

Step 1: Visit the official [PMMVY web portal and go to the Login option in the top right corner.

Step 2: Select the ‘Citizen’s Login’ option. Then, enter your mobile number and name and select your relationship with the beneficiary (self, mother, father, husband, etc.).

Step 3: Verify your mobile number by entering the one-time password (OTP) and type in the captcha code.

Step 4: Once your login ID is created, use your mobile number to sign in. After successful login, click on the ‘Data Entry’ tab and fill out the ‘Beneficiary Registration’ form.

Step 5: Enter the required details accurately, including name, state, district, area, block, village, mobile number, Aadhaar number, date of birth, and more.

Step 6: Upload your eligibility proof document and enter your MCP card details and bank account details. Click on ‘Submit’ once you have completed the form.

Upon successful registration with the Pradhan Mantri Pregnancy Yojana, you can view your application status by going to the ‘Track Application Status’ tab.

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is the country’s foremost pregnancy yojana that empowers women in poor socio-economic backgrounds. With just a small cash incentive, the scheme gives new mothers a much-needed respite from strenuous work, ensuring the well-being of their newborn children and themselves. It also helps our country fight against the social evils of girl foeticide.

Despite its many benefits, the PMMVY scheme fails to cover many mothers and families due to its stringent requirements. Families across different economic backgrounds need to buy health insurance to get adequate coverage for expecting mothers. A comprehensive health insurance plan covers a variety of illnesses and complications that are too difficult to pay out of one’s own pocket.

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