Scheme for women extended to urban areas

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced extension of the scheme as elections for about 100 urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state are scheduled in early 2013.

While Mamata Scheme was earlier introduced for rural women in September 2011, it had now been extended to cover the poor pregnant women and nursing mothers in urban pockets.

However, women whose family heads work in state and central governments or public sector undertakings.

Under the scheme, a pregnant woman would get Rs 5,000 in four different instalments with certain conditions. The concerned woman would have to register herself at any Anganwadi Centre at the third month of her pregnancy and would be eligible to get the first instalment of Rs 1500. She had to fulfil certain conditions like taking immunisations for getting payment.

The second instalment will be given after child birth and proper immunisation of the baby.

This was a major welfare programme for the poor after Rs 2 a kg rice scheme was launched in Odisha on the eve of the 2009 general elections.