The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a government initiative launched in 2005 to promote institutional deliveries and reduce maternal mortality rates across India.
This scheme provides financial assistance to pregnant women and healthcare workers to encourage hospital births over home deliveries.
The program operates under a differentiated framework, categorizing states as High-Performing States (HPS) or Low-Performing States (LPS) based on their existing healthcare infrastructure and delivery rates, with benefits and implementation strategies tailored accordingly.
The National Framework of the JSY
Since its inception in 2005, the JSY has served as a cornerstone policy for increasing access to maternal healthcare across India.
By providing direct financial benefits to both mothers-to-be and healthcare staff, the initiative creates strong incentives for institutional deliveries rather than traditional home births.
The program’s structure recognizes regional variations by classifying states into two performance-based groups:
High-Performing States (HPS), such as Maharashtra, already have good hospital delivery rates, whereas Low-Performing States (LPS), like Rajasthan, require additional support to improve their numbers.
Under JSY, pregnant women receive financial assistance for choosing to deliver in a hospital. Health workers, also known as ASHAs, receive payment for assisting these women.
The cash amounts vary by state group and depend on if you reside in a village or a city.
JSY Implementation in Maharashtra
Maharashtra follows the guidelines of a High-Performing State (HPS). The scheme focuses on helping women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds access safe delivery services.
1. Eligibility
The table below shows who can get JSY benefits in Maharashtra:
| Criteria | Details |
| Family Type | All pregnant women from families below the poverty line (BPL) or from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST). |
| Age Limit | No age restrictions. |
| Number of Children | Up to 2 live births only. |
| Delivery Location | Government hospital or accredited private hospital. |
Pregnant women from families below the poverty line (BPL) or from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities who deliver in a government hospital or accredited private hospital are eligible for this scheme, with financial benefits provided for up to two live births.
2. Benefits
Maharashtra provides different cash amounts based on where you live:
- Rural mothers get ₹700 – A fixed payment for mothers in rural areas.
- Urban mothers get ₹600 – A fixed payment for mothers in urban areas.
- ASHA workers earn a composite payment of ₹200 for accompanying the mother to the health facility.
- Any additional financial support for complications, such as emergency C-sections, is covered under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), which provides free and cashless services, including C-sections, medications, diagnostics, blood transfusions, and transportation.
- All payments are made through bank accounts – Direct digital transfer.
These amounts help cover basic delivery costs and encourage hospital births over home deliveries.
3. Implementation Process
The JSY process in Maharashtra uses digital systems for smooth operations. Pregnant women first register with local ASHA workers, who assist them in obtaining a JSY card. The RCH Portal tracks all cases from registration to delivery.
After hospital delivery, payments go directly to the mother’s Aadhaar-linked bank account via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). ANMs or Staff Nurses issue JSY cards after verification. Health workers follow up to ensure families receive benefits on time.
State-Specific Initiatives: Maharashtra focuses on quick payment processing and uses technology to reduce delays in benefit distribution.
JSY Implementation in Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a Low-Performing State (LPS) that gets special support to increase hospital deliveries. The state has higher payments to encourage more women to choose safe delivery options.
1. Eligibility
The table below shows JSY eligibility rules for Rajasthan:
| Criteria | Details |
| Family Type | All pregnant women delivering in a government health facility. For deliveries in accredited private hospitals, eligibility is limited to women from BPL, SC/ST backgrounds. |
| Age Limit | No age restrictions. |
| Number of Children | For deliveries in a government facility, there is no limit on the number of births. For deliveries in accredited private hospitals, the benefit is for up to 2 live births. |
| Delivery Location | Any government health center or accredited private hospital. |
Rajasthan’s JSY benefits are accessible to all pregnant women delivering in a government facility, making the scheme widely accessible.
2. Benefits
Rajasthan offers higher financial support compared to High-Performing States:
- Rural mothers receive ₹1,400 – Highest payment for village births.
- Urban mothers get ₹1,000 – Good support for city deliveries.
- ASHA workers earn a composite payment of ₹600 (₹300 for antenatal services and ₹300 for institutional delivery) for rural deliveries and ₹400 (₹200 for antenatal and ₹200 for institutional delivery) for urban deliveries.
- Payments are made through bank accounts – Direct digital transfer after delivery.
These higher amounts reflect Rajasthan’s need to encourage more hospital deliveries among its population.
3. Implementation Process
Rajasthan’s JSY implementation relies heavily on ASHA workers for success. ASHAs create micro-birth plans for each pregnant woman and ensure they attend all check-ups.
They escort women to hospitals during delivery, with the State Institute of Health & Family Welfare (SIHFW) overseeing the program. Payments go directly into the beneficiary’s bank account. ASHAs support women throughout delivery to ensure proper care.
Unique Features: Rajasthan provides higher financial incentives to a wider population of beneficiaries and their ASHAs to drive institutional delivery rates.
A Comparative Analysis and Key Learnings
| Aspect | Maharashtra (HPS) | Rajasthan (LPS) |
| Eligibility | BPL, SC/ST women | All women in the government. facilities. BPL, SC/ST in private facilities. |
| Financial Support | Lower amounts (₹600-700) | Higher amounts (₹1,000-1,400) |
| Age Restrictions | No age restrictions | No age restrictions |
| Birth Limits | Maximum 2 live births | No limit in the government. facilities; 2 live births in private facilities. |
| Implementation Focus | Technology and quick payments | Intensive ASHA support and higher incentives |
Key Similarities:
- Both states use ASHA workers as the main connectors.
- Digital payment systems ensure transparent transfers.
- Hospital delivery is mandatory for benefits.
- Focus on reducing maternal and child deaths.
Conclusion
The Janani Suraksha Yojana demonstrates how a national program can be implemented differently in various states, tailored to their specific needs.
Maharashtra utilizes a tech-driven, standardized payment system, whereas Rajasthan offers more financial support to promote hospital births.
Both approaches have helped reduce maternal deaths and increase safe deliveries. The scheme’s success comes from adapting central guidelines to match each state’s unique challenges.
States can learn from each other’s methods to improve their own JSY programs.
By understanding these differences, pregnant women and their families can better guide the state’s system, ensuring they receive all benefits from this government scheme.
