Sonia urges Cong CMs to ensure Rs 6,000 under NFSA Act to pregnant women, lactating mothers

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote to all party-ruled states Chief Ministers, asking them to ensure that pregnant women and lactating mother is ensured payment of at least Rs 6,000 under National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013.

"I hope this letter finds you well. As you are aware that the NFSA 2013 promises cash transfer of Rs 6,000 to all pregnant women and lactating mothers, excluding those who are already receiving similar benefits from elsewhere. Please take steps to ensure that the scheme reaches every eligible woman and she receives at least Rs 6,000 - as envisioned under NFSA," the letter written by Sonia Gandhi to all Congress Chief Minister read.She said that once the performance of this scheme in Congress run states then the party can take up the issue with greater strength at the national level. Hitting out at the Centre for reducing the payment amount of Rs 6,000 to Rs 5,000, she said now the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) scheme restricts the benefits to just one child per woman in violation of the NFSA.Citing a report that barely 22 per cent of women received this benefit (even a single instalment) in 2017-18, Sonia said: "This is largely due to the implementation architecture prescribed for the PMMVY. The online payment scheme which is linked to the Aadhaar card has proven somewhat unreliable. Misallocation of the amounts, wrong Aadhaar linkage, etc has been reported repeatedly."She urged the Chief Ministers to critically review the cumbersome requirements which significantly reduce the coverage of the pregnant women and lactating mothers under the scheme.