Arunachal Pradesh health and family welfare minister Alo Libang on Monday launched Matru Vandana Saptah, a celebration which aims at intensifying the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
It is a maternity benefit programme launched throughout the state and nation.
Addressing a function, Libang said the Matru Vandana Saptah is being celebrated all across the country from December 2 to 8.
“In Arunachal Pradesh, the women and child development department has planned to celebrate the same at all state, district, block and village levels,” he said.
“The State aims to enroll all eligible beneficiaries so that no one is left behind,” he added.
The minister said that PMMVY is one of the flagships schemes of the Central Government which aims to provide partial compensation for the wage loss, improved maternal nutrition and improved health, seeking behaviour of pregnant women.
“Under this scheme, a sum of Rs 5,000 is directly transferred into the bank account of women in three installments through web based software application for the first living child,” Libang said.
“The scheme is implemented by department of women and child development in the state and came into effect from January 01, 2017,” he added.
“It has already provided benefits to 9,818 women in the State till date,” Libang also said.
The minister further said the department of Women and Child Development is working relentlessly to improve the maternal health and child development scenario in the State and sought the contribution of all concerned to make it further successful.
He also appealed the stakeholders including gaon buras and village level workers to take part in the celebration with full enthusiasm and sensitize the womenfolk across the state to avail benefits of the scheme.
Local MLA Tana Hali Tara, WCD director Tokmem Pertin Loyi also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, to mark the day, a marathon participated by the women-folk and anganwadi workers of the area was flagged off by the minister.