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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved Janani Suraksha Yojana. The Janani Suraksha Yojana will replace the National Maternity Benefits Scheme and will be an important component of the National Rural Health Mission which was announced by the Finance Minister in the Budget.
The Janani Suraksha Yojana will be a 100 per cent Centrally sponsored scheme. The salient features are as follows:-
(i) The scheme will be a 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme;
(ii) Women aged 19 years and above, belonging to below poverty line families will be eligible for benefit under the scheme for first two live births. In the 10 Low Performing States viz. Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Utttar Pradesh, Uttranchal, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir, however, families will be eligible for benefit for third birth also, provided the beneficiary opts for sterlization immediately after delivery;
(iii) Graded scale of assistance will be as follows:-
Category of States
Rural Urban
Assistance
Package to Mother
Package for the Accredited Worker
Total
Assistance
Package to Mother
Accredited Worker/Dai
Package
Total
Low Performing States (LPS)
700
600
1300
600
200
800
High Performing States (HPS)
700
NIL
700
NIL
NIL
NIL
(iv) Unlike under the National Maternity benefit scheme, grant-in-aid under the Janani Suraksha Yojana will be sent to Standing Committee on Voluntary Actions/State Deptt. of Family Welfare.
(v) Benefits of Janani Suraksha Yojana would also be available to beneficiaries for availing delivery services in a recognized private health institution.
The scheme aims at reduction in maternal mortality /infant mortality. The scheme seeks to focus on providing benefits to the pregnant women of Below Poverty Line families and to encourage antenatal care, institutional deliveries and provision for post-partum care which is important not only for the health of the mother but has very significant effect on the health and survival of the newborn.
The scheme will become operational on April 1st, 2005.
EK/MK.
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