Health & Wellness Schemes

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is a Central Sector scheme with a Rs 1,600 crore outlay that gives every citizen a free 14-digit Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) to link and share health records digitally. Over 93 crore ABHAs have been created. Anyone can generate one free at abha.abdm.gov.in using Aadhaar or a driving licence.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY gives Rs 5 lakh per family per year of free hospitalisation cover to about 12 crore poor and vulnerable families, and to all citizens aged 70 and above regardless of income. Treatment is cashless at over 32,000 empanelled hospitals. Apply free through the Ayushman App or beneficiary.nha.gov.in.

Ayushman Vay Vandana Card gives every Indian citizen aged 70 years and above Rs 5 lakh of free hospital cover a year under AB PM-JAY, irrespective of income. Seniors in families already covered get an extra top-up of up to Rs 5 lakh for themselves. Apply free on the Ayushman App or beneficiary.nha.gov.in.

Janani Suraksha Yojana pays cash assistance of up to Rs 1,400 to a pregnant woman who delivers in a government or accredited private health facility, plus Rs 600 to the ASHA who accompanies her. Launched in 2005 under the National Health Mission, JSY is claimed at the health facility at the time of delivery.

Mission Indradhanush is a free catch-up vaccination drive of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that immunises children and pregnant women missed by routine services. Launched in December 2014, its 12 phases have vaccinated 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women across 765 districts. Register at any government health facility or on U-WIN.

National Health Mission is the Government of India's flagship public health programme, with Rs 64,180 crore approved for 2021-22 to 2025-26. NHM funds free drugs, diagnostics, ambulances, maternal and child health services and the ASHA network through its rural and urban sub-missions. Citizens access it directly at any government health facility.

PM POSHAN is a Centrally Sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Education that gives one free hot cooked meal every school day to about 11.8 crore children from Bal Vatika to Class VIII in government and government-aided schools. There is no individual application, enrolled students are served automatically at their school.

PMBJP is a Department of Pharmaceuticals scheme that sells quality-assured generic medicines at prices 50-80% below branded equivalents through more than 18,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Patients simply walk in and buy; entrepreneurs with a D.Pharma or B.Pharma pharmacist can open a Kendra by applying online at janaushadhi.gov.in with a Rs 5,000 fee.

UIP is the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's free vaccination programme, launched in 1985, that protects children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases. It reaches about 2.54 crore newborns and 2.9 crore pregnant women every year at no cost. Families simply visit any government health facility or immunisation session on the due date.

Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram is a National Health Mission initiative launched on 1 June 2011 that makes delivery, including caesarean section, free at government health facilities. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram covers free drugs, diagnostics, blood, diet for 3 days after normal delivery and 7 after a caesarean, and free transport. No form is needed.

National Rural Health Mission is the rural sub-mission of India's National Health Mission, launched on 12 April 2005 to deliver free public health care in villages and towns under 50,000 people. NRHM funds ASHA workers, free drugs, diagnostics and 108 ambulances. Villagers use it directly at any government facility, with no application form.

National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme gives every TB patient in India free diagnosis and free anti-TB treatment at government facilities, plus Rs 1,000 a month nutrition support under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana. NTEP, renamed from RNTCP in 2020, covers drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB. Walk into any government health facility or call 1800-11-6666.

National Urban Health Mission is the urban sub-mission of the National Health Mission, approved by the Cabinet on 1 May 2013 with an outlay of Rs 22,507 crore. NUHM funds urban primary health centres, urban ASHAs and Mahila Arogya Samitis for slum and low-income residents of towns above 50,000 people. Care is taken directly at the facility, with no application form.

Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana pays every notified TB patient in India Rs 1,000 a month for nutrition throughout anti-TB treatment, doubled from Rs 500 with effect from 1 November 2024. The money reaches an Aadhaar-seeded bank account by Direct Benefit Transfer. Patients qualify automatically once their case is registered on the Ni-kshay portal.

PM-ABHIM is a Rs 64,180 crore health infrastructure mission launched on 25 October 2021 for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26. PM-ABHIM funds 17,788 rural sub-centres, 11,024 urban health centres, 3,382 block public health units, 730 district public health labs and 602 critical care blocks. Individuals cannot apply; states apply through annual plans.

Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana is a Government of India scheme announced in 2003 that has approved 22 new AIIMS and the upgradation of 75 government medical colleges to correct regional imbalances in tertiary care. PMSSY has no citizen application - patients simply use the AIIMS and upgraded colleges it builds, where treatment is heavily subsidised.

Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram is a National Health Mission child health programme that screens children aged 0 to 18 years free of cost for 30 conditions grouped under four Ds, defects at birth, deficiencies, diseases and developmental delays. Mobile health teams visit anganwadi centres and government schools; no application form is needed.

Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram is the national adolescent health programme launched on 7 January 2014 for all 253 million adolescents aged 10 to 19 years. RKSK offers free counselling, iron-folic acid tablets and clinic services across 6 thematic areas through Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics and trained peer educators. No application is needed.

AFFDF Financial Assistance for Treatment of Serious Diseases is a Kendriya Sainik Board grant that reimburses 75% of medical costs for non-pensioner ex-servicemen officers and 90% for other ranks and their widows, up to Rs 1,50,000 one-time, with Rs 75,000 a year for cancer and dialysis. Apply through your Zila Sainik Board.

Financial Assistance for Procuring Mobility Equipment to Disabled Ex-Servicemen is a Kendriya Sainik Board scheme funded from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. It pays up to Rs 1 lakh per ex-serviceman (all ranks) with 50% or more disability to buy a modified scooter or other mobility aid, renewable after 10 years. Apply through your Zila Sainik Board.

Health Minister's Discretionary Grant provides financial assistance of up to Rs 1.25 lakh to poor patients with an annual family income up to Rs 1.25 lakh, to meet part of the cost of treatment in a government hospital. Applications in the prescribed proforma are signed by the treating doctor and Medical Superintendent and sent to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), set up in 2009, is a Ministry of External Affairs fund operated at Indian Missions and Posts abroad to help overseas Indian nationals in distress on a means-tested basis. It funds airfare home, temporary shelter, medical aid and legal help. There is no online form; you approach the nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate.

Jiyo Parsi is a Central Sector scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, launched in 2013, to arrest the decline of India's Parsi Zoroastrian population, which fell to about 57,000 in the 2011 Census. It funds infertility and fertility treatment, plus childcare and elderly support, and reported 214 ART-assisted births in its first five years.

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission is a Ministry of Health programme launched on 1 July 2023 to end sickle cell disease as a public health problem by 2047. The mission screens 7 crore people aged 0 to 40 in tribal areas of 17 states and issues a sickle cell card. Screening is free at government health facilities, no form is needed.

The National Youth Award recognises young Indians aged 15 to 29 and youth organisations for outstanding work in national development and social service. Individual awardees receive a medal, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000, while organisations receive Rs 3,00,000. Nominations are invited each year through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package insurance scheme gave a Rs 50 lakh accident cover to health workers who died fighting COVID-19. Launched on 30 March 2020 and covering about 22.12 lakh workers, it needed no enrolment or premium. The scheme has since lapsed; only claims for deaths during its validity are processed.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) provides free, fixed-day antenatal check-ups to pregnant women in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters on the 9th of every month at government health facilities. Launched in June 2016, it offers examinations, lab tests, an ultrasound and high-risk identification at no cost. No application is needed, just visit on the 9th.

RMEWF Financial Assistance for Medical Treatment helps non-pensioner ex-servicemen up to the rank of Havildar, and their widows, meet the cost of serious illness. Funded from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund under the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund, it reimburses treatment at government hospitals. Apply through your Zila Sainik Board on the KSB portal at ksb.gov.in.

The Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi gives below-poverty-line cancer patients financial help of up to Rs 2,00,000 for treatment at 27 designated Regional Cancer Centres. Government and PSU employees are not eligible. Patients apply offline through the Regional Cancer Centre where they are being treated.

Scheme for Adolescent Girls is a Ministry of Women and Child Development programme for out-of-school girls aged 11 to 14. Through Anganwadi centres it provides supplementary nutrition of about 600 calories and 18 to 20 grams of protein a day, plus life-skills, health check-ups and help returning to school. Girls join through the local Anganwadi, not an online form; it now runs under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.

Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) is a Ministry of Health initiative that guarantees free, dignified and zero-expense maternal and newborn care at public health facilities, including free delivery even by caesarean, free transport, and free treatment of sick newborns up to 30 days. Coverage runs through pregnancy and up to 6 months after delivery. No separate application is needed.