Every year, crores of Indian women go through pregnancy and delivery without knowing the government was ready to send them money directly to their bank account.
There are two main schemes:
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): A cash benefit of ₹5,000 paid in two installments to every pregnant woman for her first living child, directly to her bank account. For the second child, if it is a girl, the benefit is ₹6,000.
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): Cash assistance of ₹1,400 (rural) or ₹1,000 (urban) for every woman who delivers in a government hospital or accredited private hospital — specifically to encourage institutional delivery and reduce home-birth risk.
Together, a woman who registers for PMMVY, delivers in a government facility, and qualifies for JSY can receive ₹6,400 or more. Some states add their own top-ups, taking the total higher.
This money exists. It is meant for you or someone you know. But it only comes if you register.
Scheme 1: PMMVY — Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
Who Qualifies
- Every pregnant woman — employed or unemployed, below poverty line or not, urban or rural
- First pregnancy: ₹5,000 benefit for first living child
- Second pregnancy: ₹6,000 benefit if the second child is a girl
- Woman must be 19 years or older at the time of registration
- Women who are government employees already receiving paid maternity leave under the Maternity Benefit Act are NOT eligible (they already receive wage support from their employer)
- Women in the armed forces have a separate scheme and are not covered here
How Much Money and When
The ₹5,000 for first pregnancy comes in two installments:
Installment 1 — ₹3,000:
- After registration at the Anganwadi Centre or Approved Health Facility
- After at least one Antenatal Check-Up (ANC) visit
Installment 2 — ₹2,000:
- After the child is born and registered
- After the child receives the first cycle of vaccinations (BCG, OPV, DPT, Hepatitis B)
For the second child if girl — ₹6,000: Paid as a single installment after the birth and registration of the girl child.
What Documents You Need
Gather these before visiting the Anganwadi:
- Aadhaar card of the pregnant woman (mandatory)
- Husband's Aadhaar card
- Bank account passbook — account must be in the woman's name or jointly with husband (for DBT direct transfer)
- MCP (Mother and Child Protection) card — given at first ANC visit at government health centre
- Proof of pregnancy — can be the discharge slip from hospital, ultrasound report, or MCP card entry
Important: The bank account must be linked to Aadhaar (the DBT transfer goes directly to the Aadhaar-linked account).
How to Register
At an Anganwadi Centre (AWC) — the easiest way:
Go to your nearest Anganwadi Centre as soon as you know you are pregnant. The Anganwadi Worker (AWW) will help you fill Form 1A and register on the system.
If you do not know where your nearest Anganwadi is: ask any neighbour with young children, call 1091 (women helpline), or go to your local PHC (Primary Health Centre) and ask.
At an Approved Health Facility:
Government hospitals, PHCs, CHCs (Community Health Centres), and some private accredited hospitals are also registration points.
Online portal:
wcd.nic.in/PMMVY — the scheme has an online portal but registration with documents is best done in person at an Anganwadi or health centre.
If You Were Not Registered During Pregnancy
You can still register up to 270 days (approximately 9 months) after the child's birth for the second installment. Go to the Anganwadi immediately after delivery if you were not registered during pregnancy.
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Scheme 2: JSY — Janani Suraksha Yojana
JSY is a separate scheme under the National Health Mission specifically to encourage women to deliver in hospitals rather than at home (home deliveries are a major cause of maternal and infant mortality in India).
Who Qualifies
- Every woman who delivers in a government hospital, PHC, CHC, or accredited private hospital under the National Health Mission
- No income limit for rural women in Low Performing States (LPS: UP, MP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Uttarakhand, J&K)
- Urban women and women in High Performing States (HPS: remaining states) qualify only if they are BPL (Below Poverty Line)
- Two live births only — JSY benefit is available for up to 2 deliveries
How Much
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rural — Low Performing States | ₹1,400 per delivery |
| Urban — Low Performing States | ₹1,000 per delivery |
| Rural — High Performing States | ₹700 per delivery |
| Urban — High Performing States | ₹600 per delivery |
In addition, the ASHA worker (your local health volunteer) who escorts you to the hospital for delivery also receives a cash incentive (₹300 in LPS rural, ₹200 in urban). She has a financial reason to ensure you go to the hospital and help you register for both PMMVY and JSY.
How to Claim JSY
- Go to any government hospital, PHC, or CHC for delivery — or an accredited private hospital under NHM
- At the time of registration for delivery, mention JSY — hospital staff will process it
- The money is sent to your bank account via DBT within a few weeks of discharge
- Alternatively, your ASHA worker handles the paperwork — if she is active, she will prompt you
If JSY was not processed at the hospital: Go to the nearest PHC or district NHM office with your hospital discharge slip, Aadhaar, and bank passbook. Request the JSY claim form and submit it.
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Maternity Benefit Act — For Working Women
If you are a woman employed in any establishment with 10 or more employees, you are covered by the Maternity Benefit Act 1961 (amended 2017):
- 26 weeks of paid maternity leave for the first two children (up from 12 weeks earlier)
- 12 weeks of paid leave for the third child onwards
- Option of work from home for the period after leave if the nature of work allows
- Creche facility must be provided by employers with 50+ employees
This is separate from PMMVY. Government employees do not get PMMVY (they are already covered by their service rules), but all other employed women in formal establishments get both — the Maternity Benefit from their employer AND PMMVY from the government.
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State Top-Up Schemes
Several states add their own cash to the central government's PMMVY:
- Tamil Nadu: Additional ₹18,000 under Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme
- Kerala: Additional support under Amma scheme
- Maharashtra: Additional ₹500 under Matru Seva scheme (in some districts)
- Delhi: Mukhyamantri Matru Vandana Yojana adds additional support for second child
Check your state's health department website or ask at the PHC what state-level maternity schemes are available in your area.
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Free Services You Are Entitled to at Any Government Hospital During Pregnancy
Beyond cash, the government mandates free services:
- 4 Antenatal Check-Ups (ANC) at any PHC or government hospital — including iron tablets, folic acid tablets, and tetanus injections
- Free delivery including normal delivery and C-section at government hospitals
- Free medicines during delivery and post-delivery at government hospitals
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Free transport to hospital, free food during hospital stay, free blood transfusion if needed, free C-section — all at government hospitals
- Free immunisations for newborns starting from day 0
If you are asked to pay for any of these services at a government hospital, file a complaint with the district health officer.
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What You Can Do
- Register at your nearest Anganwadi Centre immediately when pregnant — the sooner the better; the first installment requires at least one ANC visit
- Open a bank account in the woman's name if she doesn't have one — without a bank account, money cannot be received; Jan Dhan account at any bank works
- Link Aadhaar to the bank account — required for DBT. Do this at the bank branch
- For delivery, go to a government hospital or accredited facility to claim JSY automatically
- Ask your ASHA worker to help with both PMMVY and JSY registration — that is part of their role
Sources
- Ministry of Women and Child Development — PMMVY operational guidelines, 2025
- National Health Mission — JSY implementation guide, 2024-25
- Ministry of Labour and Employment — Maternity Benefit Act 1961, amended 2017
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) — MoHFW guidelines
- State-level schemes — Tamil Nadu WCD, Kerala WCD
