Maternity Benefits: PMMVY Gaps and State Models
Why in the news
Commentary flagged that maternity support for unorganised-sector women falls short of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) promise, while two states show a better path.
NFSA and PMMVY
- NFSA 2013: ₹6,000 per child, worth at least ₹12,000 after inflation, yet not even the nominal sum was paid.
- PMMVY: one child per family (second if a girl); benefit cut to ₹5,000, in breach of NFSA.
- Funding: 2023-24 spend down to ₹870 crore, one-third of five years earlier; 9% of pregnant women benefited.
- Transparency: the Ministry of Women and Child Development gave little implementation data; Aadhaar-based payment glitches and software changes stalled payouts.
Model states
| State | Benefit per child | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Odisha | ₹10,000 (doubled before elections) | 64% of births (2021-22) |
| Tamil Nadu | ₹18,000 (₹24,000 proposed) | 84% (2023-24) |
| PMMVY (national) | ₹5,000 | Under 10% (2023-24) |
Two-tier rules
- Formal-sector women get 26 weeks of paid leave, well above the WHO’s 14-week norm; unorganised-sector women face red tape for ₹5,000.
Way forward
- Restore universal entitlements per NFSA; raise benefit to at least ₹12,000, inflation-indexed.
- Simplify payments and improve transparency; learn from Odisha and Tamil Nadu.
Exam angle
- Schemes: PMMVY, NFSA. Nodal ministry: Women and Child Development.