Contents: Foreword. 1. Understanding maternal health care in India. 2. Promoting safe institutional delivery. 3. Health status profile of Uttarakhand. 4. Access and utilization of Janani Suraksha Yojana in Uttarakhand. 5. Critique of service providers and health institutions in Uttarakhand. 6. Maternal health care and the way forward. Bibliography. Index. Maternal health is a globally accepted important human development indicator. International community recognizes maternal well being as basic human right of women. Through various conventions United Nations Organisation has tried to make member states responsible for providing quality health care to its citizens. Reduction of maternal mortality is an area of concern for the Governments across the globe. Maternal health care for women who are poor, and facing multiple vulnerabilities and biases continues to be inadequate. Health budgets, adequate, skilled, gender sensitive health personnel, remain inadequate. Services don’t reach the mothers who need them, even years after various schemes. Uttarakhand being a high focus state of the National Health Mission. Still a significant number of home deliveries take place because of the difficult terrain, lack of transport facilities. The mothers and newborns need much better care and support than what they receive in many parts, especially if they are poor and the newborn is a girl child.