Vol. 9, Issue 5 (2020)

Author(s):
Harinder Kaur and Lavjit Kaur

Abstract:
Health is a primary aspect of our lives, especially for women. Every country emphasizes on maternal health care. In 2005, maternal mortality rate was 296 per 100000 live births worldwide and 286 per 100000 live births in India (WHO, 2015). According to Millennium Development Declaration, maternal mortality rate should be reduced by three-quarter since 2015. Government of India launched Janani Suraksha Yojana on 12^th April 2005 under the National Rural Health Mission. The aim of the JSY was to reduce maternal mortality and infant mortality rate by increasing institutional deliveries. The states of India divided into Low performing states and high performing states on the basis of maternal mortality rate. Low performing states are highly focussed under JSY than High Performing States. Even the cash incentives also vary in these two types of states. The aim of the analysis was to assess the impact of JSY on maternal health by comparing northern states; Punjab (HPS) and Uttar Pradesh (LPS). The data of National Family Health Survey-3 (2005-06) and National Family Health Survey -4 (2015-16) was compared for various aspects of maternal health in these two states. The aspects of maternal health included in this study were antenatal care, delivery care and postnatal care. The results have shown that Punjab retains its status of a high performing state, it had performed very well in areas of Antenatal care, Delivery care and postnatal care, whereas the performance of UP had not been too good in the above mentioned areas. Despite the bleak scenario in UP in term of performance, the cash incentives being handed out in UP (49%) were much greater as compared to those being given in Punjab (19%).