Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) being implemented with the objective of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among the poor pregnant women. The Yojana, launched on 12th April 2005, by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, is being implemented in all states and UTs with special focus on low performing states. JSY is a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme and it integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care.

The Yojana has identified ASHA, the accredited social health activist as an effective link between the Government and the poor pregnant women in l0 low performing states, namely the 8 EAG states and Assam and J&K and the remaining NE States. In other eligible states and UTs, wherever, AWW ((Anganwadi workers )and TBAs or ASHA  like activist has been engaged in this purpose, she can be associated with this Yojana for providing the services.

Important Features of JSY:

• The scheme focuses on the poor pregnant woman with special dispensation for states having low institutional delivery rates namely the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Orissa and Jammu and Kashmir. While these states have been named as Low Performing States (LPS), the remaining states have been named as High performing States (HPS).
•  Tracking Each Pregnancy: Each beneficiary registered under this Yojana should have a JSY card along with an MCH card. ASHA/AWW/ any other identified link worker under the overall supervision of the ANM and the MO, PHC should mandatorily prepare a micro-birth plan.  This will effectively help in monitoring Antenatal Check-up, and post-delivery care.
•  Eligibility for Cash Assistance:     BPL Certification – This is required in all HPS states. However, where BPL cards have not yet been issued or have not been updated, States/UTs would formulate a simple criterion for certification of the poor and needy status of the expectant mother’s family by empowering the gram pradhan or ward member.
•   The scale of Cash Assistance for Institutional Delivery:

 For pregnant women going to a public health institution for delivery, entire cash entitlement should be disbursed to her in one go, at the health institution. Considering that some women would access accrediting private institution for antenatal care, they would require some financial support to get at least 3 ANCs including the TT injections. In such cases, at least three-fourth (3/4) of the cash assistance under JSY should be paid to the beneficiary in one go, importantly, at the time of delivery.