Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan today inaugurated weeklong ‘Matru Vandana Saptah’ campaign here to spread awareness about Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).The theme of the weeklong awareness campaign, which is being held from December 2 to December 8, is ‘Towards Building A Healthy Nation-Surakshit Janani, Viksit Dharini’.The weeklong celebration would include activities like meetings of Gram Sabha/Urban local bodies, enrolment drive of beneficiaries; drive for resolution of issues, backlog clearance drive, organisation of Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day and others would be undertaken. The best performing Projects/blocks during the Saptah would be rewarded. Secretary Social Welfare Department Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Director Information and Public Relations, Dr Syed Sehrish Agar and Mission Director ICDS, Shabnam Shah Kamili were also present at the launch ceremony.Speaking on the occasion, Advisor Khan, who was the chief guest on the occasion, stressed on targeting the most deserving section of the society especially in the rural areas for providing the benefits of the PMMVY Scheme. He said there was an immense need for creating mass awareness to encourage the eligible people to avail the benefits.He further said the scheme is Government of India’s tribute to motherhood and a step towards empowering her by giving financial benefits during crucial pregnancy period.
The Advisor impressed upon the concerned and other allied departments to achieve the set target during 'Matru Vandana Saptah' by reaching out the left out beneficiaries. He also suggested for launching mass media campzign under the aegis of Department of Information and Public Relations to facilitate the scheme to trickle down to the downtrodden and the deserving lot.In his address, Secretary Social Welfare Department, MK Dwivedi termed PMMVY Scheme as a mission to be taken forward in letter and spirit. He said the target would be achieved by in convergence with other departments viz Health and Medical Education, Rural Development Department and other allied departments.Among others present at the event included Director General Social Welfare, Rehana Batul, MD Women Development Cooperation Naheed Soz, Director Rural Development, Sudarshan Kumar, Director Technical Education, Dr. Ravi Shankar Sharma, Director Floriculture, Kishore Singh Chib, and all HODs of Departments under the administrative control of Social Welfare Department. About Matru Vandana Saptah: ‘Matru Vandana Saptah ’under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is celebrated every year by Ministry of Women & Child Development (Gol) with the objective to intensify implementation of the Scheme and create a competitive spirit amongst States/UTs. The theme of the Saptah this year is “Towards building a healthy nation-Surakshit Janani, Viksit Dharini.”The objectives of PMMVY are: (1)providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentives so that the women can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first living child. (2)The cash incentive provided would lead to improved health seeking behavior amongst the Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM). Meanwhile, presentations on overview of the scheme were made by Deputy Director, ICDS, Jammu Atul Kumar Gupta and Medical Officer, Mission Directorate ICDS J&K, Dr. Bushra Yousaf. A skit and song for sensitization of masses was performed by the local artists.The function concluded with presentation of Vote of Thanks by Mission Director Shabnam Shah Kamili.