For a pregnant woman waiting for financial assistance, a mismatch in her name on official documents or a problem with her bank account can become a barrier to receiving government benefits. Behind these delays, frontline workers often have to deal with online application errors, missing documents and payment-related problems while helping women access welfare schemes.
A study released by the Right to Food Campaign in October 2026 has highlighted these challenges in Gujarat, raising questions about how easily women can access maternity benefits under two central government schemes — the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) and the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).
The study, based on a survey of 28 frontline workers across eight districts of Gujarat in June and July 2026, found that documentation errors, banking problems and difficulties with digital systems remain among the hurdles in delivering maternity benefits. The respondents included Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Anganwadi workers, who play an important role in connecting women and families with government services.
However, the campaign cautioned that the small sample size does not establish how widespread these problems are across the state.
Aadhaar Errors, Missing Documents Create Hurdles
The survey found that difficulties with official documents were among the most commonly reported challenges.
Of the 28 respondents, 13, or around 46%, identified missing or outdated Aadhaar cards as a barrier to accessing maternity benefits. Twelve respondents each reported bank account-related problems, missing documents and mismatches in names across official records. Another 10 respondents, around 36%, said families had limited awareness of the schemes.
Migration created additional difficulties for seven respondents, accounting for 25% of those surveyed.
Other problems included OTP failures, poor internet connectivity, server downtime and errors on online application portals. Such issues can complicate the process of applying for benefits, particularly when an applicant’s details do not match across documents or an application is rejected.
The findings point to a gap between the availability of government welfare schemes and the practical difficulties that can arise when eligible beneficiaries try to access them.
Online Applications Are Not Difficult for Everyone, But Approval Remains a Concern
The survey presented a mixed picture of the online application process.
Sixteen respondents, around 57%, described the process as easy or very easy. The remaining 12, or nearly 43%, said it was difficult or very difficult.
For applications under PMMVY, 13 respondents said filling out the forms was easy, while nine described the process as difficult.
According to the campaign’s release, 81% of respondents said an application could be completed in less than an hour. However, the time required to fill out a form does not necessarily reflect the challenges involved in getting it approved.
An application may be completed quickly but still face problems because of incorrect details, missing documents, technical errors or other administrative issues.
This distinction is important because the process of accessing maternity benefits does not end with submitting an application. Women must also navigate the steps required for their applications to be accepted and payments to reach them.
Application Rejections Add to the Challenges
The survey also recorded cases of maternity benefit applications being rejected.
Thirteen respondents, around 46%, said one or two applications were rejected in an average month. Five respondents, or nearly 18%, reported three to five rejections per month, while one respondent reported more than five.
Eight respondents, around 29%, said they had not faced any application rejections.
Although the findings do not establish the overall rejection rate across Gujarat, they indicate that rejected applications form part of the difficulties reported by some frontline workers.
For beneficiaries, such rejections can mean having to revisit the application process, check their documents and seek help to resolve errors. The survey highlights the need to examine why applications are being rejected and whether the reasons are clearly communicated to applicants.
Frontline Workers Also Report Delays in Their Incentive Payments
The difficulties are not limited to women applying for maternity benefits. The frontline workers responsible for helping beneficiaries also reported problems with receiving their incentives.
Twelve respondents, or 43%, said their incentive payments were sometimes delayed. Five respondents, around 18%, reported frequent delays, while six, or approximately 21%, said they had not received their payments. Only five respondents reported receiving their incentives on time.
The campaign’s release also highlighted problems with tracking these payments.
In some cases, applications were reportedly submitted using an ASHA worker’s identification, resulting in the payment being credited to the ASHA worker’s bank account. This arrangement could leave the worker concerned unable to access payment details or receive the money.
Such problems raise concerns about the transparency and functioning of payment systems meant to compensate frontline workers for their work.
Frontline Workers Handle a Considerable Workload
The survey also examined the number of pregnant women supported by the respondents each month, underlining the role these workers play in connecting families with healthcare and welfare services.
Most respondents said they worked with six to 10 pregnant women each month. Six workers, or 21.4%, reported working with 11 to 20 women, while five, or 17.8%, worked with more than 20 pregnant women monthly. Three respondents, around 10.7%, said they worked with fewer than five.
Their responsibilities include helping women understand schemes, complete applications and navigate the documentation and administrative requirements involved in accessing benefits.
When these processes are affected by technical errors, payment delays or unclear procedures, frontline workers may have to spend additional time helping beneficiaries resolve their problems.
The findings therefore draw attention not only to the difficulties faced by women seeking maternity benefits but also to the systems and working conditions that affect those responsible for delivering these services.
Campaign Calls for Better Anganwadi Infrastructure and Nutrition
Beyond maternity benefits, the Right to Food Campaign has called for increased funding and improvements in the infrastructure of Anganwadi centres and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) system.
The campaign has demanded that Anganwadi centres be established in remote hamlets, migrant settlements and construction sites so that children and women in these areas can access essential services.
It has also called for eggs and milk to be provided as supplementary nutrition, along with better kitchen facilities, toilets and drinking water at Anganwadi centres.
Other demands include revising nutrition funding norms, filling vacant posts, improving the remuneration of Anganwadi workers and helpers, and strengthening their social security.
These demands highlight the need to improve both the availability and quality of services, particularly in communities where access to nutrition and childcare facilities may be limited.
Demand to Address Digital Exclusion
The campaign has also raised concerns about digital requirements that may prevent eligible beneficiaries from accessing welfare services.
It has called for mandatory electronic know-your-customer (e-KYC) procedures and Facial Recognition Technology requirements to be suspended where they exclude eligible people from receiving benefits.
The campaign has also demanded an independent evaluation of Anganwadi services to assess how effectively these services are reaching the people they are meant to support.
While digital systems can help process applications and maintain records, the findings underline the importance of ensuring that technical requirements do not become an additional barrier for people who depend on government assistance.
Push to Extend Mid-Day Meals to Secondary Schools
The campaign has further called for the Mid-Day Meal scheme, now known as PM POSHAN, to be extended to students in secondary and higher secondary schools.
It has proposed starting with government and local self-government schools in tribal areas, with meals that include pulses, vegetables and nutritious foods available locally.
The campaign has also stressed the need to pay particular attention to adolescent girls’ nutrition and anaemia prevention.
The demand broadens the focus from maternity benefits and early childhood services to the nutritional needs of older schoolchildren, especially those in communities where access to adequate food may be a concern.
Call for Better Delivery of Welfare Schemes
The findings have prompted the Right to Food Campaign to urge the Union and Gujarat governments to address gaps in welfare delivery, including problems related to documentation, digital systems, payment mechanisms and frontline infrastructure.
The study does not establish how common these issues are across Gujarat, given the limited number of respondents. However, it provides an account of the difficulties reported by frontline workers who help women access maternity benefits and other essential services.
The central concern is whether the systems designed to support women, children and families are working smoothly at the point where people need them most.
For welfare schemes to reach their intdod ended beneficiaries, access must go beyond announcing benefits or providing an online application facility. Documentation requirements, application approvals, payment systems and local service infrastructure must also function effectively.
The campaign’s demands call for improvements across these areas, with the broader aim of ensuring that eligible women and children can access maternity assistance, nutrition, healthcare and childcare without being held back by avoidable administrative or technical problems.
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