Patna, Aug 3 : Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will today launch an ambitious project aimed at improving condition of mothers and newborns in Bihar.

Under the ''Mamta'' scheme, trained midwives would be posted at hospitals and sub-divisional health centres to take care of mothers and their newborn babies, said Principal Health Secretary Deepak Kumar.

The midwives will be paid Rs 75 for taking care of a mother and her newborn, he added.

The scheme is expected to attract pregnant women, particularly in rural areas, to go for institutional delivery.

Besides, the scheme aims to raise awareness about breast feeding, immunisation and encourage mothers to take recourse to family planning methods.

The state government and different executing agencies under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) are funding the scheme. (ANI)