Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

Introduction:

• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NHM).
• Implementation in all states and Union Territories (UTs), with a special focus on Low Performing States (LPS).
• Launched in April 2005, modifying the National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS).
• NMBS was part of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
• Transferred from the Ministry of Rural Development to the Department of Health & Family Welfare in 2001-02.
• NMBS provides financial assistance of Rs. 500/- per birth up to two live births to BPL pregnant women aged 19 or above.
• JSY replaced the uniform assistance of Rs. 500/- with a graded scale based on state categorization and rural/urban area.

Background on JSY:

• Approximately 56,000 maternal deaths and over 13 lakh infant deaths occur in India annually.
• Majority of infant deaths (2/3rd) happen within the first four weeks of life, with 75% occurring within a week and most within the first two days.
• Reproductive and Child Health Programme under NHM aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality through promoting institutional deliveries.

Objective:

• Reduce maternal and infant mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.

Target Group and benefits:

• Focus on poor pregnant women, particularly in Low Performing States (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir).
• High Performing States include the remaining states.
• Performance-based incentives provided to ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) women health volunteers.
• Eligible pregnant women receive JSY benefits directly in their bank accounts.