Women and Child Development Ministry has formulated Maternity Benefit Programme for pregnant and lactating mothers to address the issues of malnutrition and undernourishment of mother and child.The scheme formulated under National Food Security Act is a conditional cash transfer scheme. It provides for cash incentives to pregnant and lactating women for the wage loss so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery, to improve her health and nutrition and breastfeed the child during the first six months of the birth. <br/><br/>Under the scheme, all Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers, excluding those who are in regular employment with the Central Government or State Governments or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law for the time being are eligible. The cash incentive of six thousand rupees is payable in three installments for the first two live births. The first installment of three thousand rupees will be given in the first trimester of pregnancy, second installment of one thousand 500 rupees at the time of institutional delivery and third installment of one thousand 500 rupees after three months of the delivery. The cash transfer will be Aadhaar linked through the individual bank or post office account in Direct benefit transfer mode. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the roll out of the scheme follows Prime Minister's address to the nation on the eve of new year for pan-India expansion of Maternity benefit programme in all the districts from 1st of this month. The scheme is expected to benefit about 51.7 lakh beneficiaries annually.