Despite numerous states investing in cash transfer initiatives for women, the most vulnerable group—pregnant women—are still being denied their legal entitlement to maternity benefits. Alarmingly, the amount previously allocated to these women appears to be diminishing. The central government bears the brunt of this responsibility.
The National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013 entitles all pregnant women (with the exception of those already in the formal workforce) to maternity benefits of ₹6,000 for each child. Adjusted for inflation, this amount should reach at least ₹12,000. Nonetheless, this is still a meager sum. The NFSA’s universal maternity entitlements were a groundbreaking step in recognizing the needs of pregnant women. Even within relatively affluent households, pregnant women often lack access to nutritious food, healthcare, and adequate rest. Providing maternity benefits could significantly aid them in caring for both themselves and their newborns.
Inadequate Support
Unfortunately, the maternity benefits mandated under the NFSA have largely gone unpaid. The central government feigns compliance through the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), although the scheme limits benefits to one child per family, with a recent provision for a second child only if the gender is female. This restriction blatantly contradicts the Act. Further compounding this issue, assistance for the first child has been arbitrarily reduced to ₹5,000.
Lack of Transparency
The already limited benefits are being withheld from many eligible women. This systemic failure is obscured by the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s minimal transparency regarding the PMMVY. The Ministry seems oblivious to its obligations under Section 4 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which advocates for proactive disclosure of essential information. Fundamental statistics relating to the PMMVY remain unavailable to the public.
In response to our RTI inquiries concerning the PMMVY, we estimated its effective coverage—defined as the percentage of pregnant women receiving at least one payment. This broad definition considers the first payment of ₹3,000, with strict conditions tied to the subsequent payments for second-child girls. The situation is concerning: effective coverage reached a mere 36% in 2019-20 and has sharply declined since then, with a slight recovery in 2022-23. As of 2023-24, effective coverage plummeted to just 9%.
Fund Allocation Issues
The financial statistics tell a similar story. In 2023-24, central government expenditure on the PMMVY hit a record low of ₹870 crore—only about one-third of the spending from five years prior. To provide maternity benefits for 90% of births at ₹6,000 each, the PMMVY would require a budget of at least ₹12,000 crore.
Official Acknowledgment
Discussions with officials from the Department of Women and Child Development at both central and state levels confirmed that the PMMVY is effectively stalling in 2023-24. They attributed this stagnation to significant software and implementation changes introduced late in 2023. However, further analysis indicates that the decline is not due to fewer applications but rather a plummeting disbursement rate, with officials reporting daily software issues.
The complications of the PMMVY did not emerge in 2023-24; since its inception in 2017, it has faced continuous challenges, particularly regarding Aadhaar-based payments. Numerous reports have highlighted these complications and their exclusionary consequences. Instead of addressing these concerns, the central government introduced more bureaucratic obstacles in 2023-24, adversely affecting women across India. Is this significant expenditure reduction an indication of systemic indifference towards pregnant women?
Successful Models in State Initiatives
In contrast, states like Tamil Nadu and Odisha have demonstrated that effective and straightforward maternity benefit programs are possible, benefiting women since 1987 and 2009, respectively. The monetary support from these state initiatives exceeds that of the PMMVY, with Odisha offering ₹10,000 per child and Tamil Nadu providing ₹18,000 per child. Ahead of the 2024 elections, Odisha doubled its maternity assistance, while the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu proposed increasing it to ₹24,000 in their 2021 manifesto. Meanwhile, PMMVY benefits have remained stagnant, constrained well below NFSA standards.
Moreover, Odisha and Tamil Nadu boast much higher implementation rates. According to Odisha’s Economic Survey for 2021-22, approximately 64% of all births received maternity benefits. In Tamil Nadu, coverage reached 84% in 2023-24, while PMMVY coverage nationwide fell below 10%. The disparity is stark.
In the formal sector, Indian women are entitled to 26 weeks of paid maternity leave, far surpassing the World Health Organization’s recommended 14 weeks. However, women in the unorganized sector are left with a meager ₹5,000, assuming they are fortunate enough to navigate the complexities of obtaining PMMVY benefits. Such discrepancies are both disheartening and unjust.
It is time to acknowledge that the PMMVY is a dismal failure. The central government appears more focused on budget cuts than on supporting pregnant women, ultimately undermining a program that had the potential to offer significant benefits. This negligence not only contravenes the NFSA but also requires a complete overhaul to align with its provisions. Additionally, benefits should be adjusted to reflect current economic realities. A more robust public support system for pregnant women would yield widespread societal benefits.
