New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Use of the facial recognition system (FRS) and other technological innovations under the PMMVY is helping the government reach beneficiaries, with over 59.19 lakh women paid maternity
benefits amounting to Rs 2,022.08 crore in 2025–26, sources in the Women and Child Development Ministry said on Friday.
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) was among the schemes reviewed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 50th meeting of PRAGATI, the ICT-enabled, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, held on December 31.
According to sources, the prime minister instructed officials to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out, while also ensuring that benefits do not go to ineligible persons.
The source said that since the launch of the scheme in 2017, 4.26 crore beneficiaries have been paid maternity benefits amounting to Rs 20,060 crore through direct benefit transfer into their bank accounts.
Mandatory biometric verification through facial authentication was introduced on May 21, 2025, for all new enrolments under PMMVY. The existing Facial Recognition System available on the Poshan Tracker is being used for this purpose, eliminating the need for duplicate verification procedures, the source said.
In cases where the FRS on the Poshan Tracker is unavailable, an additional provision of UIDAI-based facial authentication through the Aadhaar FaceRD app has also been made available.
The source said the FRS system has been widely accepted by all states and Union Territories. Since its introduction, 23.60 lakh beneficiaries have been enrolled after biometric verification through FRS.
FRS-based enrolment has been completed in more than 740 districts across the country, demonstrating the robustness, scalability and extensive reach of the system, the source added.
The ministry is also using the available database of the Poshan Tracker to create a “Due List” of potential beneficiaries. All pregnant and lactating mothers registered on the Poshan Tracker and meeting the prescribed criteria are included in this list.
The Due List is transferred from the Poshan Tracker to the PMMVY portal at the Anganwadi level.
Introduced on July 1, 2025, the Due List has so far facilitated the enrolment of 15.81 lakh beneficiaries under PMMVY, with over 75 per cent of total enrolments taking place through this mechanism, the source said.
An integrated Grievance Redressal System has also been launched as a module under PMMVY. Complaints can be filed through the portal as well as via the PMMVY helpline 1515.
The source said that over 85 per cent of more than 60,000 grievances received till December 8, 2025, which were older than 30 days, have been resolved so far, with an average resolution time of 19 days. PTI AO HIG
HIG
