In any community, mothers and children constitute a priority group. In sheer numbers, they comprise approximately 71.14% of the population of the developing countries. In India, women of the reproductive age (15-44 years) constitute 22.2% and children under 15 years of age about 35.3% of the total population. Collectively they comprise nearly 57.5% of the total population. Mothers and children not only constitute a large group, but they are also a ‘vulnerable’ or special-risk group. After independency Since 1951, the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has launched different types of many programmes for the improvement of maternal health, child health and family welfareon voluntary basis. In light of the millennium development goals (MDG), National Population Policy (NPP), and National Health Policy (NHP) the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare planned and launched National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in April 2005.

KEYWORDS: Special-Risk Group, Health and Family Welfare, Maternal Health, MDG, NRHM.