Centre Extends Registration Deadline for Maternity Benefit Scheme till Aug 15

New Delhi: The Union government has extended the special registration campaign for the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) until August 15, the Ministry of Women and Child Development announced on Monday. This move aims to bring more eligible pregnant and lactating women under the umbrella of this welfare scheme.

The PMMVY was initially launched in 2010 and rebranded in 2017 to offer financial support to pregnant and lactating women, helping them maintain a nutritious diet and encouraging them to seek healthcare services. The scheme also promotes positive behaviour toward girl children.

The scheme provides cash incentives as partial wage compensation so that mothers can take necessary rest before and after childbirth.

As of July 31, over 4.05 crore women have received at least one instalment under the scheme, with a total disbursement of ₹19,028 crore directly into their bank or post office accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Currently, a door-to-door awareness and enrolment campaign is underway. Anganwadi and ASHA workers are visiting households to identify and register eligible women, ensuring they benefit from the scheme on time.

PMMVY is a centrally sponsored scheme under 'Samarthya', a sub-scheme of Mission Shakti. Under the current provisions, ₹5,000 is given in two instalments for the first child and ₹6,000 is provided in one instalment after the birth of a second girl child, as per Mission Shakti guidelines.

To make the process smoother and more transparent, the government launched PMMVYSoft in March 2023. This digital platform enables Aadhaar-based authentication through UIDAI and NPCI verification, ensuring that benefits are transferred directly into DBT-enabled, Aadhaar-linked accounts.

The government hopes that this extended registration drive will help reach more beneficiaries and further improve maternal and child health outcomes across India.