Pregnant women to get Rs 6,000

New Delhi May 18: The Union cabinet has gave its nod to the maternity benefits programme providing Rs6,000 each to lactating mothers, here on Wednesday.

While going to matter, The Scheme has only restricted the scheme to firstborns.

Power minister Piyush Goyal said that "A pregnant or lactating woman's first child will get up to Rs 6,000. Out of this, Rs 5,000 will be given by the women and child development ministry in three instalments,"

The Scheme of the instalments will be provided through direct benefit transfer from the ministry.

While Goyal maintained that the scheme was for the first child, he added that the pilot scheme was applicable for "the first two live births".

The mother will receive the initial Rs 1,000 after early registration of pregnancy, Rs 2,000 after at least one antenatal check-up (after six months of pregnancy) and Rs 2,000 after the child birth is registered and has received the first cycle of BCG, OPV, DPT and Hepatitis-B or its equivalent.