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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | New Rajasthan initiative for mothers and newborns by Sunny Sebastian

New Rajasthan initiative for mothers and newborns by Sunny Sebastian

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published Published on Sep 12, 2011   modified Modified on Sep 12, 2011

This is your empowerment, Gehlot tells women

Fighting the ignominy of being among the worst States in the country when it comes to mother mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR), the Rajasthan Government on Monday launched a major initiative to protect newborns and mothers. Thousands of people including a large number of women turned up in this tehsil town to witness the launch, which Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot termed a “major step towards empowering women”.

The State's scheme is a localised version of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojna that was launch all over the country by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Mewat district of Haryana on June 1. It envisages protection of the mother and the newborn for the first six months after childbirth with free hospitalisation, medicine, food and free transport to the hospital and back. The expenses of all clinical interventions, including the Caesarean section, blood and other services in the wake of a medical emergency, are to be borne by the Government.

“This is your empowerment,” Mr. Gehlot told women while launching the scheme in the presence of Rajasthan PCC President Chandra Bhan, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Babulal Nagar, Jaipur (Rural) MP Lalchand Kataria and MLA Bhagwan Sahai Saini.

The scheme is yet another in the series of the programmes by the UPA and his government, such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the recently-launched scheme of 10 lakh houses for rural Below Poverty Line families, he said.

The scheme, to be launched in all 33 districts of Rajasthan for three days from Monday, will provide eight services along with free medicines to pregnant women and six services to the newborn. The State Government will bear all expenses for deliveries taking place in any government hospital/ community health centre, primary health centre or maternity centre run by it. All pregnant women going for institutional deliveries will be provided hot meals during their stay. Similarly, food will be provided for three days in case of normal delivery and up to seven days in case of caesarean section.

All pregnant women and sick infants will also be provided blood free of cost, if needed. This facility will be available to pregnant women during delivery and up to six months thereafter, while sick infants will be eligible for this up to 30 days of their birth.

The Government has enrolled 1.18 lakh vehicles all over the State for transporting pregnant women from home to hospitals and back. Mr. Gehlot, who sought a pro-active approach from the womenfolk for the scheme, said women will be involved in the implementation at various stages. One example he cited was the engagement of women self-help groups in preparing food for the mothers.

Mr. Gehlot, who spoke about the burgeoning population, adverse sex ratio and the State's backwardness due to low literacy rates, said 16 lakh deliveries take place here each year and only 24 per cent of them in hospitals. The record of MMR is 5,300 in a year in the State, while 98,500 newborns do not survive beyond the first year. As for the adverse sex ratio Mr. Gehlot warned that parents would soon face difficulty in finding brides for their boys in many rural pockets.

Rajasthan registered a decadal increase of 1.21 crore in its population according to the latest Census and the population explosion was proving a major impediment in the State's rapid development, the Chief Minister said.

Responding to requests from Dr. Chandra Bhan, Mr. Nagar and other leaders, Mr. Gehlot announced a survey on the damage to the standing crops of gram, bajra and maize due to excess rains in many parts of Rajasthan.

The Hindu, 13 September, 2011, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article2448641.ece


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