The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the implementation of Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) on pilot basis in selected 52 districts during the remaining period of XI Five Year Plan at a total cost of ` 1000 crore. The Scheme will be implemented by using the infrastructure, personnel, systems and structures of ICDS including support of health systems along with the additional personnel on contractual basis as approved in the Scheme.
The Scheme will be centrally sponsored with 100% assistance from the Centre. Accordingly, Rs.390 crore and Rs.610 crore have been allocated for 2010-11 and 2011-12 respectively. IGMSY will be implemented in all the Anganwadi Centres of the selected 52 districts from all the States/UTs.
Under the scheme, Cash transfers will be made to all pregnant and lactating women as incentives based on fulfillment of specific conditions relating to mother and child health and nutrition. All Government/PSUs (Central & State) employees will be excluded from the scheme as they are entitled for paid maternity leave. Each pregnant and lactating woman will receive a total cash incentive of ` 4000/- in three installments between the period from the second trimester of pregnancy to the child attaining the age of 6 months.
It is expected that in the initial years with cash incentives, around 13.8 lakh pregnant and lactating women in 52 identified districts may avail of the benefit under the scheme. The beneficiaries would be pregnant women of 19 years of age and above for first two live births (benefit for still births will be as per the norms of scheme).
Each beneficiary will be required to open individual account (if she does not have one already) in the nearest bank or the post office for cash transfer.
IGMSY will be implemented by the State / UTs through the existing State and District ICDS Cell supported by additional contractual staff. Anganwadi worker (AWW) and Anganwadi helper (AWH) will receive an incentive of ` 200/- and ` 100/- respectively per pregnant and lactating woman after all the due cash transfers to the beneficiary are complete.
There will be Steering and Monitoring Committees at all levels to oversee implementation and monitor the progress. An IGMSY Cell within the Ministry of Women and Child Development will also be set up.
The objectives of the scheme are to improve the health and nutrition status of pregnant, lactating women and infants by promoting appropriate practices, care and service utilisation during pregnancy, safe delivery and lactation; encouraging the women to follow (optimal) Infant and Young Child Feeding practices (IYCF practices) including early and exclusive breast feeding for the first six months and contributing to better enabling environment by providing cash incentives for improved health and nutrition to pregnant and nursing mothers.
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