The Tamil Nadu authorities has tweaked the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme to make sure that any delay on the a part of the Union authorities within the disbursal of funds doesn’t have an effect on its implementation. From now on, the scheme shall be carried out in three instalments as towards 5, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian stated on Tuesday.

Since 2018, help to the tune of ₹18,000 (₹14,000 in money and diet kits value ₹4,000) has been granted to pregnant girls underneath the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme-Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). The State’s share is ₹15,000 and the Union authorities’s ₹3,000.

The scheme was carried out in 5 instalments after 2018. The first instalment of ₹2,000 was payable in the course of the third month of being pregnant, the second instalment of ₹2,000 within the fourth month of being pregnant, the third instalment of ₹4,000 after supply, the fourth instalment of ₹4,000 three months after childbirth and the ultimate instalment of ₹2,000 when the kid was 9 months of age, together with two diet kits value ₹4,000, the Minister stated on the launch of the modified scheme. “When the two schemes were integrated, a different system of preparing the beneficiary list came into place. As a result, in the last one or two years, there were small delays in disbursing the first instalment. We took up the issue continuously with the Union government. In Tamil Nadu, the Health Department is running the scheme, while the Women and Child Development Department is in charge of it at the Centre. So, several meetings were convened in Delhi to facilitate coordination between the two departments and to do away with the contradictions in the two portals. A solution was arrived at last week,” he defined.

Noting that sure modifications have been made to the scheme to stop difficulties to the beneficiaries, Mr. Subramanian stated that as a substitute of 5 instalments, the help could be paid in three instalments from now — ₹4,000 within the fourth month of being pregnant, ₹4,000 after supply and ₹6,000 4 months after supply. The two diet kits could be offered in the course of the first and second instalments.

“Earlier, we could release the assistance of ₹15,000 only after getting the Union government’s share of ₹3,000. Now, thanks to the modifications, even if the Union government delays releasing its share, the State government can release its share of ₹15,000 — ₹11,000 in cash and nutrition kits worth ₹4,000. From now, there can be no delay in implementing the scheme,” he stated.

He added that there have been eligible individuals who had utilized and have been ready to be lined underneath the scheme. “We are preparing a list of eligible persons who have applied and will grant the assistance in phases. Today, we are extending the assistance to 1,06,766 beneficiaries. Funds to the tune of ₹44.05 crore have been released for the scheme,” he stated.

Since the scheme was launched in 2006, 1,16,95,973 individuals have benefited at a value of ₹10,529.57 crore.

Camps to be held

The Minister stated particular enrolment camps underneath the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Scheme could be held in 100 Assembly constituencies on November 18.

Among others, Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Mission Director of National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu, Shilpa Prabhakar Satish and Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine T.S. Selvavinayagam have been current.