Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana Strengthens Maternal Health and Early Childhood Care

• PMMVY is India's flagship conditional cash transfer (CCT) maternity benefit scheme for Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM), administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
• Aims to compensate wage loss, encourage antenatal care (ANC), immunisation, and positive behavioural change toward the girl child.
• Relevant for UPSC as a partial-fulfilment vehicle of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (Sec. 4) and a flagship under Mission Shakti – Samarthya.