Transforming Maternal and Child Health through Cash Transfers: Evaluating the MMSSPSY Program's Impact among Informal Wage Labourer in Madhya Pradesh

Bhabesh Hazarika, National institute of public finance and policy

The global interest in Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs to enhance maternal and child health outcomes has gained momentum, with India implementing notable schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). While JSY led to an increase in institutional deliveries, disparities persist across several dimensions of maternal and child health, particularly among marginalized groups. The present paper evaluates the impact of MMSSPSY, a state-specific CCT in Madhya Pradesh, India in improving MCH outcomes among informal sector wage labourer households. Based on primary data collected through a semi-structure interview schedule from seven districts in Madhya Pradesh, the nearest-neighbor matching and inverse-probability weighting models reveals a statistically significant improvement in healthcare utilization, including antenatal care services, IFA consumption, institutional deliveries, exclusive breast feeding, and zero dose of vaccination among the scheme beneficiaries. However, the full potential of the MMSSPSY is constrained by systemic barriers, including limited awareness, inadequate counselling, and insufficient financial incentives. From a policy perspective, this underscores the necessity for more effective communication strategies that clearly articulate program requirements and intended benefits as well as recalibrating financial incentives to better align with the direct and indirect costs faced by recipients could significantly improve adherence to conditionalities to foster greater engagement.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Health and Morbidity

See extended abstract.