Performance of Janani Suraksha Yojana

Impressive gains have been registered under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) since its inception. The number of beneficiaries under JSY has gone up from 7.39 lakhs beneficiaries in 2005-06 to 108.69 lakhs beneficiaries in 2011-12. The scheme has led to an increase in institutional deliveries which have gone up from 47% (District Level Household Survey-III, 2007-08) to 72.9% (Coverage Evaluation Survey, 2009) and to the resultant decline in maternal mortality and neo-natal mortality. Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) has declined from 254 maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births in 2004-06 to 212 maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births during 2007-09. Similarly, the Neo-Natal Mortality Rate (NMR) has declined from 37 per 1000 live births in 2006 to 33 per 1000 live births in 2010.

 For proper implementation of the scheme, the Ministry has issued the following instructions to State Governments:

• To ensure fast and seamless flow of funds under JSY from State headquarters to District and further to Block PHCs and Sub-centre levels and payment of cash assistance before discharge of pregnant women after delivery;

• Setting up of grievance redressal cells for prompt redressal of all grievances;

• Public display of names of all JSY beneficiaries in health facilities on a monthly basis so as to ensure transparency and check fraudulent payments;

• Payment of cash assistance under JSY to all beneficiaries only through cheques;

• Physical verification of beneficiaries by State and District officials in a random manner in order to check fictitious payments;

Further periodic verification of beneficiaries and assessment of the scheme is being done by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through the Regional Evaluation Teams (RETs) of the Regional Directorates.

 The Ministry has also decided to get the annual transaction audit of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) done through the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) in all the States from the Financial Year 2011-12 in order to facilitate independent monitoring and to take corrective measures to control financial irregularities.