Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

The objective of Prerna, meaning "inspiration", is to create role models to spread message regarding healthy parenting and reproductive & child health. Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh (Population Stabilization Fund) launched Prerna, a responsible parenthood and a monetary incentive strategy, in selected districts of India in order to help increase the marriage age of girls and space the birth of children in the interest of the health of young mothers and infants, particularly those living below the poverty line. Eligible couples receive a monetary award ranging between Rs.5000 and Rs.7000 at a public function in the form of Kisan Vikas Patras, small savings schemes.

Need for Prerna:

• Early marriages - this is the most important cultural factor affecting the health of woman and infants in rural areas, as well as particular districts in the states of Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand
• According to National Family & Health Survey-3, young girls are giving birth to children with poor chances of survival and growth
• Adolescent pregnancies contribute to nearly 19 percent of total fertility and record the highest maternal mortality rates
• Child mortality is as high as 25 percent in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh

Eligibility Criteria:

• Girls that are married after the age of 19 and have their first child after 21
• The gap between a girl's first and second child is 36 months
• One parent becomes sterilized after the second child is born

Conditions for Prerna Awards:

• Couple must belong to any of the 46 districts identified by JSK
• Couple must be living below the poverty line
• Preference will be given to younger couples (age of wife not exceeding 30 years)
• Only those couples who have completed a registration of marriage and of the birth of each child with the competent authority (Registrar of Marriages/Appropriate Govt. Officer registering births) qualify for the award

Commitments:
Prerna has been implemented in phases. Individual commitments to implement Prerna have been made by some district collectors in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan & Jharkhand.