Haryana CM scheme launched for working women

Chandigarh, March 1

The Haryana Government has taken a step forward in providing better facilities to working women. Under this, working women will now receive financial assistance of Rs 5,000 under the state government’s “Mukhyamantri Matritva Sahayata Yojana” even for the birth of a second baby boy.

An official spokesperson said the Women and Child Development Department had initiated the scheme to ensure adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactating period for working women. Initially, the scheme provided benefits upon the birth of the first child, but now women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes giving birth to a second child, a boy, could also avail of the benefits of this scheme.

He said under the scheme by the Women and Child Development Department, now more than 40 per cent of disabled women, along with beneficiaries of the MGNREGA job card, e-Shram card, BPL ration card, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and beneficiaries of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, would also be eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme. To avail the benefits of the scheme, the annual income of the family of the woman concerned should not be more than Rs 8 lakh. Also, Aadhaar card was mandatory for this scheme, he added.

He said women employed in the Central or state government jobs and public undertakings would not be eligible to avail of the scheme’s benefits. It was also necessary to register the pregnancy after childbirth registration, along with at least one prenatal check-up and to register the child and vaccinate them with the BCG, OPV, DPT and hepatitis B vaccines to receive the assistance amount.

Applications for availing the benefits of the scheme could be made through Anganwadi or Asha workers. The Central government is implementing the scheme for working women, under which an assistance amount of Rs 5,000 was provided in three installments. Now, the government has decided to change the rules and provide the assistance amount in two installments.

For more information, interested and eligible women could contact Anganwadi centres, ASHA workers, relevant CDPO offices or the office of the District Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department during any working day.