<span style="color: #222222;">More than 68 lakh 33 thousand beneficiaries were provided maternity benefits in 2020 under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, PMMVY. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.<br />'' </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The government implements the scheme with the objectives of providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentive so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first child.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Under the scheme, the government also provides cash incentive to improve health seeking behaviour amongst the Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.</span>