BENGALURU: Poor and SC/ST women in state will no longer get ‘Madilu Kits’ after delivery.
The state government has abruptly stopped the distribution of the kits amid silent burial of the ‘Madilu Yojane’ scheme. Lack of funds and quality issues are the reasons attributed to it by the department of health and family welfare.
The kit was being given to women soon after delivery to support her with the provision of essential commodities. It included 19 products, including floor mats, bed spreads, towel, abdominal belt, cotton diaper, sanitary napkins and oil and soap for the mother and child.
The scheme, introduced in 2007, was funded by the state government and the National Health Mission initially. This year, neither the government nor National Health Mission has agreed to allocate funds for this. Shalini Rajaneesh, principal secretary, department of health and family welfare, said that a proposal sent by the department was turned down by the government. Besides, several quality issues had surfaced.
“An evaluation done by the planning department pointed at several flaws. The report also said there was no significant impact on the health of the mother or child with the distribution of the kit,” she said. Rajaneesh added that the National Health Mission withdrew funds citing that they had already provided incentives. D 1,000 is given for those opting for institutional delivery and D6,000 for women delivering a girl child.
Top sources in the department said otherwise. “The scheme was complimented by the Karnataka Evaluation Authority. Patients had given a positive response. It was stopped for want of funds,” said the source. Even as HLL had come forward to provide these kits, due to issues over promoting a private brand, it was turned down.“They wanted to supply their own products. Previously it was supplied by the Karnataka Handlooms Development Corporation Limited and Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited.”