Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) - Features, Benefits, Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is an initiative started by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for would-be as well as new mothers. The aim was this initiative is to control maternal and neo-natal mortality by promoting institutional delivery services at cheap rates to the poor pregnant women. This scheme is among centrally sponsored schemes and is implemented all the states as well as Union Territories in India. Janani Suraksha Yojana was initially started on 12th April 2005 by our honorable Prime Minister Narender Modi and the main focus of this scheme was on low performing states. This scheme connects assistance with delivery as well as post-delivery care. The scheme was monitored by the Ministry of Health and Family.

This scheme collaborates with the accredited healthcare group (ASHA) and this makes the bridge between the Government as well as the poor pregnant women in ten low performing states. The low performing states are Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the North Eastern States. There are many other TBAs, AWW (Anganwadi workers), or social activists like ASHA who have been assigned to take the responsibilities on behalf of the Government in other eligible states and UTs.

Important Features and Benefits of Janani Suraksha Yojana

There are a lot of benefits and features of Janani Suraksha Yojana and all are mentioned below:

Implementation as per the performance of the state in the health sector

The healthcare services that are offered by Janani Suraksha Yojana are successfully implemented across all States as well as Union Territories of India.  These states are categories in two different categories as per their institutional delivery rate and that is-

1. Low Performing States (LPSs)

2. High Performing States (HPSs)

The states in the term refer to the eight EAG states, Assam, Jammu, and Kashmir, as well as the North Eastern States.

Cash support connected to Institutional Delivery 

Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, the pregnant poor women are able to avail of three antenatal check-ups as well as institutional delivery.  For these benefits and for post-natal care and neo-natal care, the applicant must have to register with the health workers at the sub-center or Anganwadi or primary health centers. The expense of the benefits under the Janani Suraksha Yojana is connected to institutional delivery.

Cash support on the graded scale

The scheme also aims to reduce the rate of maternal mortality as well as to promote health institutions with the help of qualified professionals like doctors as well as nurses. Cash support is also given to the families who are Below Poverty Line (BPL) to motivate institutional delivery. 

Incentives for ASHA worker or an equivalent worker

To make the Child Survival and Safe Motherhood (CSSM) programme successful there are several birth attendants, also known as ‘Dai’, have trained. Under this scheme, these workers are associated with delivery care services.

Professional support for Caesarean Section

If any government-employed medical specialists are absent at the time of the delivery then the assistance of Rs. 1500 per pregnant woman will be given to a private expert who will carry out the surgery at a healthcare institute.

Reimbursement for Tubectomy or Laparoscopy

If the Tubectomy or Laparoscopy surgery is recommended in any case after delivery, then the compensation is paid to the beneficiary family, according to the family welfare scheme.

Quick Disbursement of Cash Assistance

The scheme is very quick in financially supporting pregnant women with the help of the process of disbursement. In various terms and conditions the amount of Rs. 5000 is provided to every Auxiliary Nurse Midwife or health worker.

Collaboration with Private Sector

If in any case, the infrastructural or any other services are not adequate in a certain area of an Indian State or Union Territory the scheme has also collaborated with various hospitals, nursing homes and clinics from the private sector in that area top provide necessary healthcare services.

Provision to meet executive expenses

The fund released to a state is 7% and in this 4% is for the district authorities, and can be used towards administrative expenses for the supervision of, IEC, and office expenses for execution of the profits of Janani Suraksha Yojana.

Eligibility Criteria for Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

The candidate belonging to any category is eligible for the benefits that are offered by Janani Suraksha Yojana:

• All the pregnant women whose family belongs to Below Poverty Line are eligible for the benefit and no matter living in rural as well as urban areas.
• The assistance provided by the scheme is only for pregnant women and above the age of 19 years. Women who are below 19 years and pregnant are not able to take benefits of this scheme.
• Under this scheme, the women up to two live births are able to take medical facilities as well as compensation offered by the government.
• All the benefits will be provided to the women-only when she will enroll under the scheme and have delivered the baby in any government hospitals or in any private hospital or medical center that is taken by the government under this scheme.

How this initiative has impacted women?

• Under this scheme, there are 240,713 women who have received help with childbirth-related facilities in an institution.
• There are 209,314 pregnant women who have received healthcare facilities like ante-natal as well as post-natal care, cash payments and breastfeeding, etc.

How to Apply for Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)?

There is a very simple process the candidate has to follow to apply for Janani Suraksha Yojana. All the steps are mentioned below.

1. At first, Visit the official site of Janani Suraksha Yojana.

2. After visiting the official site click on the button ‘Apply Online’ to start the process e-registration forms.

3. If you are not convenient to fill the application form online you can do it offline by downloading the form from the official website.

4. To download the form the applicant has to click on the ‘Download Offline Form’ link.

5. You can choose your language to fill the form as English and all local languages.

6. Now the candidate has to fill the required details like name of the expecting baby mother, age, residential address, annual income, etc.

7. Make sure that the details you are filling in the form are correct because in the case of wrong information your form maybe gets rejected.

8. Now attach all the required documents for the proof with the application form.

9. If you are filling the form online then after entering all the details click on the submit button to submit your form.

10. After the submission of the application form, a code will be sent to your registered mobile number. Save this code for future reference.

11. The details provided by you in the application form will be verified with the help of ASHA workers.

12. And if you are filling form offline then fill entire details in the form and then attach all the required documents with the form.

13. Now submit your application form in an ASHA or Anganwadi center.

Conclusion

Janani Suraksha Yojana is an initiative started with the motive to financially support pregnant women with neonatal as well as post-natal care of women from both areas rural as well as urban in India.  The scheme is especially able to provide cash assistance as well as all the medical facilities and compensation that a woman from a poor family is not able to access at their own money. The scheme provides effective and affordable health care to the women who are from low performing states.