Ranchi: Jharkhand has topped the country in the month-long special drive held from June 15 to register pregnant women and lactating mothers for financial support under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). The state registered 46,955 beneficiaries against the Union women and child development ministry’s target of 24,203, achieving 194% of its target.Chhattisgarh ranked second with 185%, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 184%.PMMVY, the Centre’s flagship maternity benefit scheme, aims to partly compensate wage loss, ensure rest before and after delivery, and promote health-seeking behaviour and essential nutritional care.Congratulating district administrations, child development project officers, supervisors, anganwadi workers, and helpers, state social welfare director Kiran Kumari Pasi said, “Their dedication and spirit of service are evident in their efforts to reach remote villages, hilly terrains, and inaccessible areas to ensure the registration of eligible pregnant and lactating mothers.”Several areas need continued attention: swift transfer of financial benefits after registration, wider outreach in remote tribal belts, resolution of bank account and identity documentation issues, stronger community awareness on institutional deliveries, and protection of digital records against cyber threats, officials said.The success was driven by timely training and rigorous reviews at state and district levels for all personnel involved in the registration network. Continued coordination among departmental officials, the health sector, local administration and grass-roots workers would help Jharkhand remain a benchmark state for maternal and child welfare programmes nationwide, Pasi said.