To curry favour with the urban electorate ahead of urban local body (ULB) polls, the State Government on Monday extended the Mamata scheme for pregnant and nursing mothers to urban areas. The poll is scheduled for early next year.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced extension of the scheme to urban centres. The scheme was earlier introduced for rural women in September 2011 and formally launched on October 9 last year.
However, women, whose family heads work in State and Central governments or public sector undertakings, will not be entitled to the benefits under the welfare scheme. Under the scheme, a pregnant woman would get ` 5,000 in four instalments with certain conditions. The first instalment of ` 1,500 will be provided within six to nine months of pregnancy and the second instalment of ` 1,500 provided when the child becomes three months old.
The third instalment of ` 1,000 will be given when the child becomes six months old and the last instalment of ` 1,000 provided when the child is between nine and 12 months.
The women, who have registered themselves at the nearest anganwadi centres at the third month of the pregnancy, will be eligible to get the first instalment. They have to fulfil certain conditions like taking immunisations for getting payment. The second instalment will be given after child birth and proper immunisation of the baby.
This is a major welfare programme for the poor after ` 2-a-kg rice scheme which was launched on the eve of the 2009 elections. Interestingly, this welfare scheme was launched by the Government just prior to panchayat elections.
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