Introduction And Objectives

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention introduced on April 12, 2005.
It operates under the umbrella of the National Health Mission.
The initiative is a fully centrally sponsored scheme.
It integrates direct cash assistance with essential delivery and post-delivery care.

The primary aim is the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality.
It promotes institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
The scheme ensures the availability of medical care during pregnancy, delivery, and the post-delivery period.

State Classification And Eligibility

States are divided based on their institutional delivery rates.
Low Performing States (LPS) include Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Orissa, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Remaining states and union territories are categorized as High Performing States (HPS).

The eligibility rules are structured to address the specific needs of different regions.

State Category	Beneficiary Criteria	Age And Birth Order Restrictions
Low Performing States (LPS)	All pregnant women delivering in government or accredited private institutions.	No age restriction and benefits extended irrespective of birth orders.
High Performing States (HPS)	Below Poverty Line (BPL) pregnant women delivering in government or accredited private institutions.	Aged 19 years and above, restricted to up to two live births.
LPS And HPS Combined	All Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) women delivering in government or accredited private institutions.	No age or birth order restrictions mentioned for institutional delivery.

BPL pregnant women aged 19 years and above preferring to deliver at home are eligible.
This cash assistance is strictly limited to up to two live births.

The monetary benefits vary based on the geographical region and the performance category of the state.

Category	Rural Area: Mother Package	Rural Area: ASHA Package	Urban Area: Mother Package	Urban Area: ASHA Package
Low Performing States	Rs. 1400.	Rs. 600.	Rs. 1000.	Rs. 200.
High Performing States	Rs. 700.	Rs. 200.	Rs. 600.	Rs. 200.

Beneficiaries from North-Eastern states (excluding Assam) and rural tribal districts receive a mother package of Rs. 700.
Home delivery beneficiaries receive a flat cash assistance of Rs. 500 to meet incidental expenses.

Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres provide free emergency obstetric services.
Financial assistance up to Rs. 1500 per delivery is provided to the health institution.
This fund is strictly utilized to hire private sector specialists for Caesarean sections or complication management if government specialists are unavailable.

The Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) serves as an effective link between the healthcare system and pregnant women.
She identifies eligible beneficiaries and facilitates their registration for antenatal care.
She ensures the provision of at least three antenatal checkups, Tetanus Toxoid injections, and Iron Folic Acid tablets.
She counsels the mother for institutional delivery and helps identify a functional referral center.
She escorts the pregnant woman to the health facility and stays until discharge.
She ensures newborn immunization, particularly Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), within the prescribed age limit.
She conducts a postnatal visit within seven days of delivery to track maternal health.

The ASHA compensation is linked to her active participation in the delivery process.
The first payment covers her transactional costs and is disbursed at the health center upon arrival.
The second cash incentive is paid after she completes the postnatal visit and ensures BCG immunization.
ASHA does not receive the package if she fails to escort the pregnant woman to the institution.

A micro-birth plan is mandatorily prepared for every registered JSY beneficiary.
It is created by the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) with assistance from the ASHA.
It details the schedule for antenatal visits, identifies the place of delivery, and establishes referral linkages.
A Maternal and Child Health (MCH) card is filled in duplicate during this process.

Cash entitlements must be disbursed to the mother in a single installment at the health institution.
For private accredited institutions, at least three-fourths of the payment is made at the time of delivery.
All payments made before or after seven days of delivery are considered illegitimate and subject to audit objections.
Names of beneficiaries and disbursement dates must be displayed publicly at health centers to ensure transparency.