Extracted from a statement by Rozi Roti Adhikar, Rajasthan and PUCL, Rajasthan on the PMs New Year Eve announcement of Rs 6000 for pregnant women
The Prime Minister, on December 31 announced a cash entitlement of Rs. 6000 for pregnant women across the country; presenting it as an original idea that will, somehow magically mitigate the hardships caused by demonetisation. A universal maternity entitlement of at least Rs. 6000 has been an entitlement for all pregnant and lactating women in the country since 2013; with the passing of the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The Modi regime, in complete violation of the Act, has continued with the pilot Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) in just 53 districts of the country despite repeated demands by women across the country, civil society organisations as well as the Supreme Court asking for an explanation for the delay in universal application and implementation.
While a few years ago the IGMSY amount was increased to Rs. 6000 from Rs. 4000; to be in tune with the NFSA neither the coverage nor the budget allocated for the scheme has been enhanced by the Central government.
The budget for the scheme has remained around Rs. 400 crores while around Rs. 16,000 crores would be required to cover all pregnant women, who are around 29 million.
A real test of what the intentions after the Prime Minister’s announcement will be to see how much the budget next month will allocate funds to implement the promises. One way in which it is already obvious is how the government seeks to restrict coverage is by imposing conditionalities on access to this entitlement; as already exists in the IGMSY.
Presently it is a conditional cash transfer of Rs 6000 provided only after the first 2 births to women above 18 years.
The Prime Minister in his speech mentioned that this is for women who have institutional deliveries and immunise their children. While institutional delivery is conditionality for Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY); immunisation along with a number of other services are conditions to get the installments for IGMSY. It has been argued many a time, that imposing such conditionalities, especially in the absence of good quality of universal health services being available only excludes the most marginalised women from much needed support.
Further the eligibility criteria of 19 years of age or benefits only for the first two children also serve to exclude women who belong to vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Maternity entitlements must be seen as a right for all women, universally. In a country like India where more than 90% of women are outside of organised sector employment, cash transfers for maternity entitlements (as wage compensation as well) becomes a crucial tool.
We demand that that the Maternity entitlement as envisaged in the 2013 NFS Act be implemented in its entirety, without any conditionality making it universal as well retrospective, since September 2013, when the Law came into force.
Rs 6000 be provided universally to all women who have delivered babies since 2013 September at the earliest. All states should be directed to institute mechanisms like in Tamil Nadu to ensure that the benefit reaches all lactating mothers.