Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Mrs. Aruna Chaudhary today exhorted the bureaucrats to provide benefit of government schemes to the people residing in border belt and far flung areas.Launching awareness week being celebrated across Punjab from December 2 to 8 under Pardhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana at Anganwari Center Majri, Mrs. Chaudhary said that the government has launched many welfare programmes for the well-being of the expected mothers, besides, social security department has also initiated several schemes to provide nutritious food to pregnant women, thus they must be sensitized about these schemes.Reiterating state government commitment for the welfare of women and children, Mrs. Chaudhary informed that Rs.94,65,56,000 have been credited in bank accounts of 2,48,292 beneficiaries of the state under the Prime Minister Matru Vandana Yojana. She said that each pregnant woman gets Rs.5,000 for the birth of the first child in three instalments, wherein the first instalment of Rs.1000 provided on early registration of pregnancy at nearest anganwari center within 150 days from the date of last menstrual period, while the second instalment of Rs,2,000 would be paid after 6 months of pregnancy with at least one ante-natal check-up by health department. Third instalment of Rs.2,000 disbursed on registration of the birth of child and completion of first circle of immunization.During function, the Cabinet Minister also handed over certificates to newly registered pregnant women under the Pardhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. She also took glimpse of exhibitions and checked food items being provided to pregnant women from Anganwadi centers. Besides this, she also enjoyed cultural performances of tiny tots.Mrs. Raji P. Srivastava, Principal Secretary, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Director Mrs. Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, Additional Deputy Commissioner (D) Mrs. Aashika Jain, Deputy Director Mrs. Rupinder Kaur, District Program Officer Mr. Sukhdeep Singh, Program officer of Health Department Mrs. Inderdeep Kaur, Senior Vice President PPCC Mr Jaswinder Singh Bhoora and Sarpanch Jagdeep Rana were present on this occasion.