In early January 2020, a community monitoring process conducted in G. Maliguda village under Boipariguda block of Koraput district reveals that a majority of pregnant women of this village are not able to avail the advantage of cash benefit provided by maternity benefit schemes i.e. MAMATA and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). Surprisingly, it is being noticed that more than 50 percent of ante-natal women and even those who delivered babies within two years are not getting the conditional cash transfer provided by the Government of Odisha under the MAMATA scheme. As per the guideline of the MAMATA scheme, one woman beneficiary can avail Rs. 5000/- for each birth twice in her lifetime during ante-natal and post-natal phase. In addition, the JSY scheme provides Rs. 1400 to each and every woman beneficiary provided they adopted an institutional delivery system. The very moto of Government in introducing these schemes is to ensure proper nutrition and care during childbearing and post-partum phase and safe delivery in the presence of health care practitioners.

  1. Maliguda Anganwadi Center is coming under Kollar Panchayat of Boipariguda block of Koraput district which serves 73 beneficiaries. Of the 73 beneficiaries, there are 20 children ageing 6 months to 3 years, 20 children between the age group of 3 to 6 years, 25 adolescent girls, 4 pregnant women and 4 lactating mothers.

During a community monitoring on RMNCH+A, facilitated by CYSD, both the service providers i.e. ASHA, AWW, ward member and service users, like pregnant women and lactating mothers were interacted separately. A detailed discussion was held with all the groups and astoundingly it came out that the practice and prevalence of early marriage and early pregnancy is very rampant among the villagers of G. Maliguda. While the girls are getting married before the prescribed age of 18, the conditional cash transfer schemes designed for every mother is flattering to be insignificant. It was commonly agreed by the service users and service providers to take the issue to the upcoming Gram Sabha as they are utterly impoverished to regulate it. As per the mutual action plan, this issue was raised by some volunteers at the Gram Sabha held on January 26, 2020 at Kollar panchayat.

This news became viral and reached before the CDPO of Boipariguda block within fraction of minutes. As a result, the CDPO with help of In-charge of Ramgiri Police Station, ChildLine, ICDS supervisors, Anganwadi workers and some volunteers did a surprise visit to the villages of Kollar, Dandabadi and Chipakur panchayats of Boipariguda block and at one go they could identify the occurrence of five early marriages on the same day. After prolonged discussion with the parents of those children, their marriages were on hold. Subsequently, the parents were agreed to conduct the marriages after the girls attend the prescribed marriageable age i.e. 18 years. On the other hand, the ASHA and Anganwadi Worker assured the pregnant women and lactating mothers to facilitate them for availing the benefits from MAMATA and JSY schemes.