Union Cabinet approves Maternity Benefit Program on Pan-India basis; to give Rs 5,000 to pregnant women & lactating mothers

Highlights:

1.The Maternity Benefit Program will be implemented on Pan-India basis with effect from January 1 this year 

2. The program will offer compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentives to pregnant women and lactating mothers 

3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers who are eligible will receive a cash benefit of Rs 5,000 in three installments

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved implementation of Maternity Benefit Program on Pan-India basis whereby it will give benefit of Rs 5,000 to pregnant women and lactating mothers.

The Maternity Benefit Program will be implemented on Pan-India basis with effect from January 1 this year.

"It has been decided to give the benefit of Rs 5,000/- to pregnant women and lactating mothers (PW&LM) in three installment for the birth of the first live child by MWCD and the remaining cash incentive as per approved norms towards Maternity Benefit under existing programmes after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman will get Rs 6,000," the Union Cabinet said in an official statement on Wednesday. 

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"#MaternityBenefitProgramme of @MinistryWCD approved by the #Cabinet for Pan-India implementation. #3SaalBemisal," Ministry of Women and Child Development said on Twitter.

#MaternityBenefitProgramme of @MinistryWCD approved by the #Cabinet for Pan-India implementation. #3SaalBemisal pic.twitter.com/SU5Oq9HeOu

— Ministry of WCD (@MinistryWCD) May 17, 2017

Prime minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on December 31 last year had announced Pan-India implementation of Maternity Benefit Program.

"The Maternity Benefit Program will provide compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentives so that the women can take adequate rest before and after delivery and not be deprived of proper nutrition," the Union Cabinet said.

The total cost of the proposal for the period from January 1, 2017 to March 3, 2020 including Central and State Government share is Rs 12,661 crore, the statement said.

Government of India’s share during the period between January 1, 2017 to March 3, 2020 comes to around Rs 7,932 crore, it further added. 

The conditional cash transfer scheme would be in direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode.

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