The UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has launched Janani-Shishu Suraksha Programme at Mewat in Haryana for pregnant women to address the problem of maternal and child mortality effectively. Under the scheme pregnant mothers are encouraged to access Government Health Institutions for free and cashless delivery. Both the mother and the sick newborn are entitled to get free treatment, free drugs and consumables, diagnostics, user charges besides free provision of blood and transportation under the scheme. Mrs. Gandhi expressed the hope that all State Governments will implement the scheme with total commitment. She said in India 67,000 women die every year while delivering and nine lakh children die within a month, which is a matter of grave concern. She called upon all the pregnant women in the country to avail the benefits of this new National initiative for safe delivery and for the better health of the child.On this occasion, Mrs. Gandhi also dedicated the Part-I of Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water supply project to the people of Mewat. The project will start providing safe drinking water to 503 villages of the district. She said that the UPA Government has launched the National Rural Health Mission in 2005 under which several pro people Health policies are in operation. Mrs Gandhi said that during the last seven years UPA Government has unveiled a number of schemes in the areas of Education, Health, Housing and Employment, the benefits of which are being reaped by common people including Scheduled castes, Scheduled tribes, OBC's and minorities.