Janani Suraksha Yojana

Researched by Abhijit ChowdhuryPublished: Last verified:

Quick Summary

DetailInformation
Scheme NameJanani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
MinistryMinistry of Health and Family Welfare (NHM)
BeneficiariesPregnant Women aged 19+
BenefitCash assistance (₹600 to ₹1400) for delivering in a hospital
Key EnablerLocal ASHA Worker / ANM

About the Scheme

The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Health Mission (NHM). Its sole purpose is to reduce maternal and infant mortality by bribing mothers (in a positive way) to stop delivering babies at home and instead go to a government hospital or accredited private facility.

Exact Financial Benefits (Rural vs Urban)

The cash assistance you receive depends entirely on which state you live in. The government divides states into LPS (Low Performing States) and HPS (High Performing States) based on their institutional delivery rates.

  • LPS States: (UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan, Assam, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, J&K).
  • HPS States: All other states (e.g., Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra).

Cash to the Mother:

  • LPS Rural: ₹1,400
  • LPS Urban: ₹1,000
  • HPS Rural: ₹700 (Usually restricted to BPL/SC/ST)
  • HPS Urban: ₹600 (Usually restricted to BPL/SC/ST)

Actionable Tip - The ASHA Factor: Do not bypass the ASHA worker. She receives a dedicated incentive (₹600 in rural, ₹400 in urban) for ensuring you get your ANC checkups and taking you to the hospital. If you register through her early in your pregnancy, she will ensure the paperwork for your JSY cash is processed quickly at the hospital.

Hidden Clauses & Exceptions

  1. Home Delivery Exception: If a BPL mother opts for a home delivery, she is still eligible for cash assistance, but it drops drastically to just ₹500.
  2. Two Live Births Rule: In most HPS states, the JSY cash benefit is strictly restricted to the first two live births. However, in LPS states, this restriction has largely been removed.
  3. Not an Insurance Scheme: JSY gives you ₹1,400 cash. It does not cover the cost of a C-section or a private hospital bill. (However, under the parallel JSSK scheme, all drugs, diet, and delivery costs inside a government hospital are completely free).

Documents Required

  • Mother and Child Protection (MCP) Card / JSY Card (Given by the Anganwadi/ASHA).
  • Aadhaar Card.
  • BPL/Ration Card (Crucial in HPS states).
  • Bank Passbook (Aadhaar-seeded for direct DBT).
PurposeLink
National Health Mission (JSY Info)nhm.gov.in

FAQs