Mamata: A populist scheme to woo women voters?

BHUBANESWAR: With an aim to significantly reduce the current maternal and infant mortality rate, the State Government has decided to launch a new scheme called “Mamata.”  The Opposition parties, however, alleged that the scheme is meant to woo the women voters ahead of panchayat polls scheduled in February next year.After rice at Rs 2 per kg scheme, this is the second largest social welfare initiative of the State Government. The State will spend funds from its own resources for the scheme. Official sources said in the first year, more than `150 crore will be spent on the implementation of the scheme.This was decided at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday. The scheme, to be launched in September, will benefit more than 7 lakh pregnant women and newborns in rural areas. It will benefit especially those pregnant women who are working as labourers. It will also help promote new-born care, vaccination and other health benefits for pregnant women as well as child care services. As per the scheme, an assistance of `5,000 will be given to each pregnant woman in four instalments. The first instalment of ` 1,500 will be paid after six months of pregnancy with registration and vaccination in an ‘anganwadi’ centre. The second instalment of `1,500 will be paid when the new-born is 3 months old with registration and appropriate vaccination of the child. Likewise, the third and fourth instalments of `1,000 each will be paid when the new-born is 6 and 9 months old with appropriate vaccination and new-born care. This scheme will be applicable for the first two pregnancies. All the rural women of the State will be eligible under the scheme except for the families of the State Government, Central Government and public sector undertaking (PSU) employees.   Women and Child Development Minister Anjali Behera, Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik and senior officials attended the meeting.