Rs 28 crore to be released for pregnant women

Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Baljit Kaur has issued orders to immediately release Rs 28 crore to about 70,000 beneficiaries to ensure the nutrition and good health of pregnant women and lactating mothers.

The minister said during October 2024, financial assistance amounting to Rs 22 crore had been transferred directly into the accounts of 65,478 women beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana scheme. This assistance is provided for the birth of the first child and the birth of a girl child as the second child.

The Cabinet Minister stated that the government provided Rs 5,000 in two instalments to women aged 19 years and above on the birth of their first child. Additionally, Rs 6,000 is granted on the birth of the second child only if it is a girl, she added. The primary objective of this scheme is to offer partial compensation to women to enhance their health before and after childbirth.