MADHYA PRADESH: Two tribal women in Katmai area of Shivpuri district of Gwalior-Chambal region share a painful past. Both Bhagwati Adiwasi (26) and Angoori Adiwasi (28) lost three children within 4-5 years of their birth because of unsafe pregnancy, inadequate nourishment and post-pregnancy complications. Their husbands are daily-wage labourers.
Today, while Bhagwati has a healthy three-year-old son, Angoori has a two-year-old son free from medical complications. Their smiles are due to timely monetary benefits provided under the Prime Minister Matri Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
Launched in 2017, the PMMVY is a direct benefit transfer scheme under which cash benefits are provided to pregnant and lactating mothers for improving their health and reducing the maternal mortality rate. Madhya Pradesh has stood first among all states for three years in a row in successful implementation of the safe motherhood scheme. Under the scheme, an assistance of Rs 5,000 is provided to enable safe motherhood for women on the birth of their first child. According to the state government data, Rs 1,119.03 crore has been transferred into the accounts of 26.17 lakh beneficiary women under the PMMVY as of December 16.
Anganwadi supervisor Sushma Soni, who is posted in Karahal block of Sheopur district said, “The villages here are dominated by the Sahariya tribe, one of the most backward in the country. For generations, they believed that making public the pregnancy of women would kill the child in the womb. The attraction of getting Rs 5,000 under the PMMVY has ensured that not only is the pregnancy informed to anganwadi workers in time, but the entire pregnancy is also under the watchful eyes of these workers and other staff.”
Anganwadi worker Saroj Shivhare, also posted in Sheopur district, said pregnancy used to be reported in the fifth or sixth month, but is now reported as early as the second month. And anganwadi workers no longer have to go door to door looking for pregnant women. The pregnant women’s kin, particularly their husbands and mothers-in-law, or neighbours report it to the workers. “This is to ensure that the women get full benefits under the safe motherhood scheme,” said Soni.
“Antenatal health of women is also improving drastically, while institutional deliveries and neonatal safety too have seen a remarkable jump. With PMMVY beneficiaries also getting Rs 14,000 and Rs 16,000 under the Janani Surakhsha Yojana and Prasuti Sahayata Yojana, institutional deliveries have gone up from around 50% to 85% in Karahal block,” said Soni.
According to the anganwadi worker, proper monitoring of PMMVY beneficiaries has also reduced the incidence of iron deficiency among women.