Taking clue from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s soaps to pregnant women, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has directed the state government officials to formulate a new scheme to present a “gift pack” of essential things for poor pregnant women in the state. The pack will contain all the essential things that are needed for the mother and the infant postnatal period for three months.

The chief minister also hinted at giving allowances to doctors serving the poor in remote areas. He also stressed the need to ensure that poor pregnant women have deliveries only at government hospitals.

The Chief Minister kept an ambitious target of zero infant mortality and 100 per cent institutional deliveries before the officials.Besides, he said that the ultimate aim of the government is to achieve zero infant mortality rate.

He also pointed out for improvement of conditions in government hospitals and asked officials in the finance department to increase allocations for medical and health in the state budget.

Elaborating on the need to increase institutional deliveries, he pointed out that poor pregnant women were facing twin problems when they were forced to go to private hospitals.

The Chief Minister deplored that they are forced to pay huge amounts of money for the delivery and post-delivery services at private hospitals. In a majority of cases, he said that women are often subjected to unnecessary surgeries. Under these circumstances, all poor pregnant women should be encouraged to have deliveries at government hospitals, he added.

Poor pregnant women would be brought to government hospitals in vehicles launched under ‘Amma Vodi’. The government is ready to give financial assistance to the poor pregnant women.