Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has made a groundbreaking decision to double the assistance provided under the ‘Mamata Yojana,’ a move aimed at supporting pregnant women in the state. Presently, beneficiaries receive Rs 5,000 in two installments, but with the Chief Minister’s recent decision, pregnant women will now receive an enhanced assistance amount of Rs 10,000 under the Mamata Yojana.
This increased benefit will be applicable to all eligible beneficiaries starting from August 2023, and the disbursement of the enhanced amount is scheduled between the 20th and 25th of February. The Mamata Yojana, launched in 2011 by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to address maternal and infant mortality and malnutrition, has gained widespread popularity and recognition as a model at the national level.
Under the new Mamata Yojana structure, the assistance amount will be directly transferred to the beneficiary’s bank account in two installments – Rs 6,000 after six months of pregnancy and Rs 4,000 after ten months of the infant’s age. Eligible pregnant women above 19 years of age can avail this assistance for up to two living children.
Furthermore, it has been decided that mothers belonging to the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) will receive Mamata assistance for each pregnancy. The decision to increase the assistance amount came to light during the district visits of 5T and Naveen Odisha Chairman Kartik Pandian, where women proposed the enhancement.
Since the initiation of the Mamata Yojana, over 60 lakh pregnant and post-natal mothers have benefited, with the state government transferring Rs 2,900 crore to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Individuals seeking information or wishing to register complaints about the scheme can contact the helpline at 181 or reach out to the nearest Anganwadi Centre.