Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a motherhood intervention scheme, has led to increased utilisation of health services among all groups especially among the poorer and underserved sections in the rural areas, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

A study was conducted by University of Maryland and National Council for Applied Economic Research to assess whether the JSY scheme has been successful in addressing disparities in providing maternal healthcare services by utilising the data from the India Human Development Survey-1 (IHDS-1, 2004-05) i.e. pre-JSY period and India Human Development Survey-2 (IHDS-2, 2011-12).

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"The findings of the study establish that JSY has led to increased utilisation of health services among all groups but especially among the poorer and underserved sections in the rural areas thereby reducing the disparities in maternal care.

"The results of the study indicate that during the two IHDS rounds, institutional deliveries almost doubled, full ANC increased by 6 percentage points, proportion of deliveries being assisted by trained health personnel increased by 22.3 percentage points and post natal care check-ups (within 2 weeks) increased by 19 percentage points," Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

The results of the study also indicate that the gap in access to healthcare between the marginalised group of women and those who are financially better-off has declined since the advent of the JSY program.

As per the study, the JSY scheme led to increase in utilisation of maternal health care services by women with little or no education while the change in utilisation of services was generally lowest among the highest asset households, he said.

JSY scheme has been implemented in all the states and UTs and its guidelines have been issued to all the states.