Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana approved

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on October 20, 2010 approved the implementation of Indira
Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) on pilot basis in selected 52 districts during the remaining
period of 11th Five Year Plan at a total cost of Rs 1000 crore. 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. Each pregnant and lactating woman will receive a total
cash incentive of Rs 4000/- in three installments between the time-period from the second trimester of
pregnancy to the child attaining the age of 6 months. All Government/PSUs (Central & State) employees
will be excluded from the scheme as they are entitled for paid maternity leave.

The Scheme will be implemented by using the infrastructure, personnel, systems and structures of ICDS
(Integrated Child Development Scheme) 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. 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. The
objectives of the scheme are to improve the health and nutrition status of pregnant, lactating women
and infants by providing cash incentives.

THE 11TH FIVE YEAR PLAN & THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

As India inches forward in its third year of the 11th five year plan, which ends in 2012, the Millennium
development goals are gaining increased prominence in the mandate of the government. The 11th five
year plan focuses primarily on 6 main objectives which are as follows

• Income & poverty- Global recession has found its way into the Indian economic situation, and though
things are on an even keel, India finds itself pushing towards a GDP growth rate of at least 2% in the
current five year plan, i.e. accelerate the GDP from 8% to 10% & maintain the status quo throughout the
12th five year plan, so as to double the per capita income between 2016-2017. Due emphasis is also laid
on creating new work opportunities, as well as to reduce both educated unemployment &
underemployment.

• Education- The right to education is guaranteed under article 21 A & forms an integral part of the
constitutional provisions made to encourage families to obtain primary education for their children. The
11th five year plan is right to lay emphasis on reducing school drop out rates, increase the rate of
literacy among adults as well as to increase the percentage of children pursuing higher education.

• Health- Health & nutrition has been a long-standing concern for India. The country has seen a
worrisome pattern form in its infant mortality rate as well as maternal mortality rate, which hasn’t really
seen any sort of improvement through the previous five year plans. Efforts have to be made to increase
the standard of health and nutrition, especially among pregnant women, nursing mothers & small
infants. Malnutrition & anemia are also major health issues in the lower economic strata, which need to
be taken care of.

• Women & children- The current five year plan seeks to ensure that at least 33% of all government
schemes are made for the benefit of women & children. Being the more vulnerable section of society,
extra care & attention have to be given to raise their standard of living & health, as well as reduce the
rate of forced employment among children, & improve working conditions for women, including the
provision of maternal benefits.

• Infrastructure- In a world, where technology is beginning to make its presence felt in every walk of life,
the decision of the government to make broadband internet access available in all villages by 2012,
comes as a progressive step towards ensuring that India doesn’t lag behind in its transformation as a
tech savvy country, willing to invest to keep up pace with the rest of the world. The same approach has
been adopted to provide round the clock electric & water supply, as well as all weather roadways in hilly
areas.

• Environment- Rapid industrialization & the establishment of SEZ’s in most metropolitan cities have
given our natural environment a chance to thrive again. This time the focus is on increasing forest cover,
improving the quality of air, by reducing pollution, as well implementing projects that would treat urban
waste water in order to have cleaner rivers. Added emphasis has also been laid on increasing energy
efficiency by adopting eco-friendly energy conservation methods.

According to the latest review on MDG implementation in India, the three main areas of concern that
need working on is healthcare for women & children (reducing Maternal & infant mortality rates),
ensuring primary education of children up to the age of 14 years, which also happens to be a
constitutional provision, and finally eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. All of these are covered by
the current five year plan to a great extent, which shows the government’s keenness to resolve the
issues & achieve the set targets by 2012. If the five year plan has to be successful in its efforts to achieve
these goals, it will still give India an additional period of three years to fully achieve the MDG’s by 2015.
Here’s hoping to see India fulfill its promises!
Commuters travel on the roof of an overcrowded public bus in Calcutta, India, Saturday, July 10, 2010.
World Population Day which falls on Sunday, is an annual event which seeks to raise awareness about
global population issues. According to the report of the Working Group on Population Stabilization -
11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012), Indian population is expected to overtake that of China by the year
2030 and the country will be the largest in the world with an estimated population of around 1.53
billion.