New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) More than 37 lakh women have been benefited across the country under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maternity scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, said Ministry of Women and Child Development on Friday.
The ministry said a fund of Rs 1,168.63 crore has been disbursed so far and more than 48 lakh women have enrolled under the scheme till September 13.
The WCD also released data on the top performing states under which Uttar Pradesh has been ranked best with around 6 lakh beneficiaries out of more than 8 lakh enrolled women.
However, as per an RTI reply to IANS by the ministry, the number of women enrolled under the scheme till August 27 stood only 184 and beneficiaries paid was nil.
Madhya Pradesh has the second most women enrolled under the scheme which is around 7 lakh while beneficiaries paid stood near to 6 lakh. Followed by MP is Rajasthan which has around 5 lakh women enrolled while paid is close to 4 lakh.
Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries get Rs. 5,000 after delivery of a child in an institution like a hospital and the remaining cash incentive of Rs. 1,000 is given as maternity benefit under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) for a Rs. 6,000.
Applicable to women aged above 19 for the first birth, the scheme provides partial compensation to women for the wage-loss during birth and child care and provides conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices, according to the information available on the scheme.