Precarious parenting

How much do 400 rupees mean to most of us? May be a popcorn bucket for kids on a weekend movie show or petrol bill for a couple of days office commutation during week days. But for Kamali a 23-year-old from Jharniya village in Banswara district, it is an amount enough to put her ‘to be born’ baby on risk. Kamali, is an expecting mother with a due date to deliver an issue in February. In her 30th week of pregnancy, Kamali did not go for any Ante Natal Checkup (ANC) so far. She has a reason for that.

“We are daily wage labourers and that’s how we feed our five-member family,” Kamali explained. “Due to my pregnancy, our earning has already reduced to half as I am unable to go for work and in such a condition I cannot afford to take my husband along, who has to cover a distance of 28 kilometre to reach his workplace, for my check up at Anganwadi Center as it will mean a complete loss of a day’s earning. We can’t afford,” she added.

Kamali represents lakhs of pregnant women in Rajasthan who have not received a single ANC during their pregnancy and her reason to avoid mother and child care facilities is the most common one that puts lakhs of mothers and their unborns life at risk. 

“Clearly, we see that financial loss matters more for them compared to the health. So there was a need to compensate their financial loss in order to motivate them to visit Anganwadi or health centres.” Manoj Jain, Additional Director (Nutrition) at Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) said.

“For the purpose, State Women and Child Development Department has rolled out the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) in the state. Now, all the pregnant women and lactating mothers, in the state, who have their first pregnancy can get the benefits of PMMVY. 

PMMVY is the union government aided scheme to benefit pregnant women and lactating mothers for the birth of their first live child. Beneficiary will get Rs 5,000 in three instalments at the stage of early registration of pregnancy, after six months of pregnancy on at least one antenatal check-up and registration of child birth and first cycle of immunization of the child. 

All the pregnant women and lactating mothers who have their first pregnancy on or after 1 January 2017 can avail the scheme benefits now.

“The benefit amount would be send directly to the bank account of the beneficiary through Direct Benefit Transfer mode,” said Manoj Jain.

SCHEME TO CONTROL INFANT MORTALITY RATE

• As per SRS bulletin 2016, IMR in Rajasthan is 41 deaths per 1,000 live births
   
• It is far more than the national IMR of 34 per 1,000 live births.
   
• Birth asphyxia, low birth weight are leading causes of deaths of infants in the state.
   
• IMR in rural areas is 45 which is almost 50% more than the IMR in urban areas.
   
• IMR in rural Rajasthan is 30 which is 30% more than the national rural IMR figure of 23.

ABOUT PRADHAN MANTRI MATRU VANDANA YOJANA

• Rajasthan rolled out the scheme on December 5, 2017.
   
• 5-6 lakh pregnant women will be benefited per year.
   
• Total Rs 5,000 will be given to each pregnant woman and lactating mother.
   
• Scheme means to motivate for ANC and immunization, through financial assistance.

THE AMOUNT WILL BE PAID IN 3 INSTALLMENTS

Rs 1000 at the time of registration of pregnancy.

Rs 2,000 At least one ANC carried out after six months of pregnancy.

Rs 2,000 The birth of child registered and the child received first cycle of vaccines, including BCG, OPV, DPT and hepatitis-B.