Pradhan Mantri Janani Suraksha Yojana

Many women and newborns pass away during or after childbirth due to inefficient medical and financial support. To solve this, the Government of India has introduced the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a maternal health program under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

Launched on April 12, 2005, the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood program under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). It aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by encouraging institutional deliveries among pregnant women belonging to the economically weaker sections of society. 

The scheme is implemented across all states and Union Territories, with a special focus on low-performing regions. This scheme is a 100% centrally sponsored initiative that combines cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care.

Schemes introduced by the Government of India come with various features for the betterment of the citizens. Here are some of the key Janani Suraksha Yojana benefits:

• The scheme targets pregnant women from low-income groups

• It provides additional support to states with low institutional delivery rates, specifically Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Jammu and Kashmir

You must meet the eligibility requirements of the Janani Suraksha Yojana to claim its benefits. Here are the eligibility criteria for the scheme:

• Low Performing States (LPS): All pregnant women giving birth in government health centres, such as sub-centres, PHCs/ CHCs/ FRUs, general wards of district and state hospitals, or accredited private institutions

• High Performing States (HPS): Pregnant women aged 19 years and above, belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL)

• LPS and HPS: All women from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes giving birth in government health centres, such as sub-centres, PHCs/CHCs/ FRUs, general wards of district and state hospitals, or accredited private institutions

For verification purposes, you need to submit some documents while applying for the scheme. Here are the requirements:

• Aadhaar card

• Caste certificate

• Ration card (BPL)

Here are the various ways through which you can get the benefits of the scheme:

• Connect with your nearest healthcare facility

• Contact your ASHA worker

• Connect with your Anganwadi centre

PACS (Panchayats Adhyaksh Sahakari Samiti) takes the following initiatives towards the Janani Suraksha Yojana:

• PACS have launched initiatives to raise awareness about the specific needs of pregnant women and the maternal healthcare services provided by JSY

• PACS also educate the citizens and collaborates with self-help groups to highlight the importance of these services for the mother and the baby's health

• PACS work to increase the representation of socially excluded groups, especially women, in health committees and encourage them to communicate their concerns

• PACS also coordinate with local health committees to monitor the healthcare services JSY offers

• They also partner with local service providers to improve institutions and address issues related to discrimination and malpractice