Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

What is it?

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is a maternity benefit programme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It was launched on 1 January 2017 and is now a component of the 'Samarthya' sub-scheme of Mission Shakti.

Many women in India are undernourished during pregnancy, and many are forced by money problems to keep working until late in pregnancy and to go back to work soon after the baby is born. This harms both the mother's recovery and the baby's health. The scheme gives cash to partly make up for the wages lost, so that the mother can rest before and after delivery, and so that she is encouraged to go for check-ups and to breastfeed.

The cash amount is Rs 5,000 for the first living child. Under PMMVY 2.0, brought in during April 2022, an amount of Rs 6,000 is also given for the second living child if that child is a girl. This second-child benefit was added to encourage families to value girl children and to improve the sex ratio at birth.

This benefit is separate from Janani Suraksha Yojana. A mother who delivers in a government facility may draw the JSY cash as well; official material describes the combined support as roughly Rs 6,000 for institutional delivery.

Money is paid straight into an Aadhaar-linked bank or post office account by Direct Benefit Transfer. A multilingual toll-free helpline, 14408, handles questions and complaints, and SMS updates are sent in 12 languages at registration, rejection and payment stages.

Potential benefit

₹5,000 – ₹6,000 one time, per eligible child

Rs 5,000 is given for the first living child. Under PMMVY 2.0 an additional Rs 6,000 is given for the second living child if that child is a girl. Payment is made by Direct Benefit Transfer into an Aadhaar-seeded bank or post office account.

Who can apply?

Other conditions stated by the government

• Open to pregnant women and lactating mothers, with the scheme aimed particularly at women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Financial support is provided under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
• The Rs 5,000 benefit relates to the first living child; the Rs 6,000 benefit relates to the second living child only where that child is a girl.
• An Aadhaar number and a DBT-enabled bank or post office account are required, as the portal checks Aadhaar authentication and DBT status before processing.

Eligibility information is provided for informational purposes only. Final eligibility and approval are determined by the relevant government authority.

Documents you will need

• Mother and Child Protection (MCP) Card
• Eligibility proof, for example a BPL card
• Aadhaar (for Aadhaar-based authentication and DBT payment)

How to apply

Enrolment is normally done through the Anganwadi worker or ASHA worker, who uses the PMMVY mobile app to register the beneficiary at her doorstep. Registration can also be done directly on the PMMVY portal, or through the UMANG platform. Application and payment status can then be tracked on the same portal, and the toll-free helpline 14408 handles queries and grievances.

Where to apply: online and offline

Deadline

No fixed deadline. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.