Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), Launch, Benefits, Amount, Criteria

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood programme launched on 12 April 2005 under the National Health Mission by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was introduced to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among poor pregnant women, especially those belonging to SC, ST and BPL households.

Janani Suraksha Yojana Background

Janani Suraksha Yojana emerged from earlier maternity welfare programmes to strengthen maternal healthcare and institutional delivery systems in India.

• The scheme replaced the National Maternity Benefit Scheme launched in 1995 under the National Social Assistance Programme, which earlier provided ₹500 assistance per birth for BPL women above 19 years up to two live births.
• The maternity assistance programme was transferred from the Ministry of Rural Development to the Department of Health and Family Welfare during 2001-02 to improve integration with public healthcare services and maternal health programmes.
• Around 56,000 women die annually due to pregnancy related complications, while more than 13 lakh infants died within one year of birth, with nearly two-thirds deaths occurring during the first four weeks, highlighting the need for proper implementation and focus of this scheme.

Also Check: Maternal Mortality Ratio

Janani Suraksha Yojana Objectives

The Janani Suraksha Yojana was designed to improve maternal and child healthcare through institutional delivery support and financial assistance.

• Reduction of Maternal Mortality: JSY aims to lower maternal deaths caused by unsafe home deliveries, pregnancy complications, anaemia, infection and lack of skilled medical care during childbirth.
• Reduction of Neonatal Mortality: The programme encourages institutional births so that newborns receive immediate medical attention, vaccination and emergency care during the critical first week after birth.
• Promotion of Institutional Delivery: Financial incentives are provided to motivate pregnant women to deliver in government hospitals or accredited private institutions under trained healthcare supervision.
• Support for Vulnerable Women: The scheme gives special attention to poor pregnant women, particularly Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Below Poverty Line households facing healthcare and financial barriers.

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Janani Suraksha Yojana Features

The major features of the Janani Suraksha Yojana has been listed below:

• Centrally Sponsored Scheme: Janani Suraksha Yojana is a 100% centrally sponsored programme integrating cash assistance with delivery and post delivery healthcare services under the National Health Mission framework.
• Role of ASHA Workers: Accredited Social Health Activists act as community level healthcare facilitators by creating awareness, arranging institutional delivery, supporting antenatal care and linking pregnant women with public health services.
• Direct Cash Transfer: Eligible beneficiaries receive JSY financial assistance directly in their bank accounts, ensuring transparency and reducing delays in disbursement of maternity benefits.
• Classification of States: States with institutional delivery rates of 25% or below were categorized as Low Performing States including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Odisha, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, while others were grouped as High Performing States.
• Achievements: Institutional deliveries increased significantly from 39% during 2005-06 to nearly 89% in 2019-21, showing major improvement in maternal healthcare access across India.

Janani Suraksha Yojana Eligibility

The Janani Suraksha Yojana Scheme prescribes different eligibility criteria for Low Performing States and High Performing States based on socio-economic conditions and institutional delivery rates.

• Eligibility in Low Performing States: All pregnant women delivering in government health centres including Sub Centres, PHCs, CHCs, FRUs and district hospitals are eligible for JSY assistance.
• Eligibility in High Performing States: Only women belonging to BPL, Scheduled Castes, or Scheduled Tribes delivering in government health facilities are eligible under the scheme.
• Accredited Private Institution Coverage: BPL and SC/ ST women delivering in accredited private hospitals in both Low Performing States and High Performing States can receive scheme benefits.
• Age and Child Criteria: Women above 19 years of age and having up to two live births are generally eligible to receive institutional delivery benefits under JSY.

Janani Suraksha Yojana Benefits

The Janani Suraksha Yojana provides graded financial incentives based on rural-urban classification and performance category of states.

• Rural Area Assistance in LPS: Pregnant women in rural Low Performing States receive ₹1,400 as mother’s package, while ASHA workers receive ₹600, making the total assistance ₹2,000.
• Urban Area Assistance in LPS: Mothers delivering in urban areas of Low Performing States receive ₹1,000, while ASHA workers get ₹400 assistance, resulting in a total package of ₹1,400.
• High Performing State Assistance: In High Performing States, eligible rural women receive ₹700 and urban women receive ₹600, while ASHA workers receive additional incentive support for antenatal and delivery services.
• Home Delivery Support: BPL pregnant women preferring home delivery can receive ₹500 per delivery irrespective of age or number of children to meet incidental delivery related expenses.
• ASHA Incentive Structure: ASHA workers receive ₹300 each for antenatal care and facilitating institutional delivery in rural areas, while urban ASHA incentives are fixed at ₹200 for each activity.

Janani Suraksha Yojana Challenges

Despite major improvements in institutional delivery, several financial and healthcare challenges continue to affect the effectiveness of Janani Suraksha Yojana.

• Rising Delivery Expenditure: National Family Health Survey 2019-21 reported average hospitalisation delivery expenses at ₹10,035, including ₹24,663 in private hospitals and ₹3,245 in public facilities, reducing the value of JSY incentives.
• Poor Healthcare Infrastructure: Researchers found that less than 50% of eligible women fully utilize the scheme because of inadequate hospital infrastructure, shortage of specialists and poor quality maternal healthcare services.
• Limited Antenatal Care Uptake: Although institutional deliveries improved considerably, antenatal care coverage remains weak among marginalized communities and women with higher order births in several districts.
• Need for District Level Focus: Greater focus on low performing districts, improved pre delivery and post delivery healthcare, periodic evaluation and strengthening public healthcare infrastructure can enhance programme effectiveness and maternal health outcomes.