Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

In India, undernutrition in women is a significant issue. Maternal undernourishment often results in low birth weight infants and long-term health implications.

Despite socio-economic challenges, many women work until late pregnancy and resume work soon after childbirth, impacting their recovery and ability to breastfeed exclusively for six months.

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), launched on January 1, 2017, addresses these concerns by providing a cash incentive to pregnant and lactating mothers, administered through Bank or Post Office accounts. PMMVY operates under the Anganwadi Services Scheme, overseen by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, with implementation varying across states and union territories. Scroll down below to learn more about its details and benefits.

What is PM Matru Vandana Yojana?

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, aimed at assisting pregnant and lactating mothers. It aims to provide maternity benefits to women from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme offers a maternity benefit of ₹5,000 for the first child, distributed in two instalments under PMMVY, supplemented by additional cash incentives under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) post-institutional delivery, totalling ₹6,000.

For the second child, a benefit of ₹6,000 is provided in one instalment if the child is a girl. The scheme also includes provisions for miscarriages/stillbirths, treating them as fresh cases for maternity benefit eligibility.

Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

Jotted down below are some significant objectives of this scheme:

• Offering partial compensation for wage loss through cash incentives, enabling women to get sufficient rest before and after delivering their first child.
• Cash incentives encourage better health-seeking behaviour among Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM).

Benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

Here are the benefits of this scheme:

• For First Child

• For the Second Child (if a girl child)

In case of miscarriage/stillbirth, the beneficiary would be treated as a fresh beneficiary in the event of any future pregnancy.

Who is Eligible for PMMVY?

The below-mentioned eligibility is applied to this scheme:

• The applicant must be at least 19 years old and pregnant.
• The applicant should be employed and facing wage loss due to pregnancy.
• The scheme is applicable only for the first live birth.

Eligible beneficiaries can apply for benefits under the PMMVY scheme within 270 days from the child's birth. If a beneficiary gives birth to twins, triplets, or quadruplets in her second pregnancy, with one or more children being girls, she will receive incentives for the second girl child per the PMMVY 2.0 norms.

Criteria for identifying socially and economically disadvantaged sections of society include:

• Women belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes
• Women who are partially (40%) or fully disabled (Divyang Jan)
• Women holding BPL Ration Cards
• Women beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY) under Ayushman Bharat
• Women holding e-Shram cards
• Women farmers who are beneficiaries under Kisan Samman Nidhi
• Women holding MGNREGA Job Cards
• Women whose net family Income is less than ₹8 lakhs per annum
• Pregnant and lactating Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs), and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)
• Women holding Ration Cards under the NFSA Act 2013
• Any other category as prescribed by the Central Government

Who is Not Eligible for PMMVY?

Here are some exceptions to this scheme:

• The Aadhaar of the beneficiary's husband is not obligatory in accessing the Scheme's benefits.
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers employed by the Central Government, State Government, Public Sector Undertakings, or receiving equivalent benefits under prevailing legislation are ineligible for PMMVY benefits.

Process of Filling Out the Form for Instalments in PMMVY CAS Online

Here are the steps to fill out the form for the 1st instalment:

• Visit the official PMMVY website by visiting the link - https://pmmvycas.nic.in
• Log in using the respective Scheme Facilitator's login credentials
• Search for the beneficiary using the provided identification details if they are already registered
• If the beneficiary is not found, select "New Beneficiary" under the "Beneficiary" tab to register them under the PMMVY Scheme
• Enter the required details following the guidelines outlined in the PMMVY-CAS User Manual.

Note - The beneficiary registration form also serves as the form for claiming the first instalment of maternity benefits.

Here are the steps to fill out the form for the 2nd and 3rd instalments:

• Visit the official PMMVY website by visiting the link - https://pmmvycas.nic.in
• Log in using the respective Scheme Facilitator's login credentials
• Search for the beneficiary using the provided identification details
• If the beneficiary is registered, select their beneficiary ID and open the registration form
• Click on "Second Instalment" or "Third Instalment" to open the respective form
• Enter the required details following the instructions outlined in the PMMVY-CAS User Manual

Documents Required for Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

Beneficiaries must provide the following documents:

• aadhaar card
• Aadhaar-linked bank/post office account
• Bank account details
• Proof of eligibility
• MCP/RCHI card
• Last Menstrual Period (LMP) date
• Antenatal Care (ANC) date
• Childbirth certificate
• Child immunisation records, etc.

The following documents are required for uploading during registration (any one of these):

• A net family income certificate showing below ₹8 lakh per annum
• MGNREGA Job Card
• Kisan Samman Nidhi certificate
• e-Shram card
• Proof of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY) under Ayushman Bharat
• BPL ration cards
• Disability certificate
• Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate
• Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificated
• Ration card under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

How to Check PMMVY Status Online?

To check the status online, you must utilise the beneficiary's identification number, such as the PAN or Aadhaar card. Access the PMMVY web portal using valid credentials to check the status. The PMMVY program card may be required to verify the beneficiary's status online.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana Helpline Number

For assistance regarding the PMMVY, feel free to reach out to the helpline numbers provided below:

011 – 23380329 and 011-23382393

Conclusion

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is a significant stride towards addressing maternal and child health issues in India. By offering financial support to pregnant and lactating women, the scheme aims to mitigate the adverse effects of undernourishment and anaemia while promoting healthier pregnancies and childbirths. With its focus on enhancing healthcare access and incentivising positive maternal behaviours, PMMVY plays a crucial role in safeguarding mothers' and newborns' well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is it mandatory to provide the Last Menstrual Period (LMP) Date to claim benefits under the scheme?

A: Yes, the LMP Date, as recorded in the Mother-Child Protection (MCP) Card, is necessary to claim the 1st and 2nd instalments. Without the LMP Date, the beneficiary cannot claim the 1st and 2nd instalments but may still claim the 3rd if they meet the eligibility criteria.

2. When can the Second Installment of the Cash Incentive be claimed?

A: The second instalment can be claimed 180 days after the applicant's Last Menstrual Period (LMP).

3. Does this scheme offer any additional coverages?

A: Apart from the three instalments to be claimed within 150 days, 180 days, and at childbirth, the scheme does not offer additional coverages.

4. Does the benefit under PMMVY continue in case of death?

A: No, in the unfortunate event of the child not surviving, the beneficiary is ineligible for further benefits under PMMVY for subsequent pregnancies as she has already received the instalments.

5. Will the beneficiary receive the benefit in case of miscarriage or stillbirth?

A: The beneficiary will receive the instalments until the pregnancy is active. Since the benefit is disbursed in three instalments based on pregnancy milestones, the beneficiary will receive at least two instalments in case of stillbirth. The miscarriage date will determine whether the benefit will continue.

6. I am expecting twins; am I eligible for this scheme?

A: Yes, you are eligible to receive benefits under this scheme.

7. I am already availing of paid maternity leave from my employer. Am I eligible for this scheme?

A: No, if you already benefit from any paid maternity scheme or leave from your employer, you are not eligible for this scheme.