NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, December 8, 2016

On the lines of Centre’s vision, state health department is encouraging women to open bank accounts. Women visiting primary health centres (PHCs) will have to open bank account to get incentives assured under various social schemes by the government .

Rajasthan is the first state to start online payments of Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY)0 and Shubhlaxmi scheme. The facility of depositing incentives directly in the beneficiary account was already available in community health centres and higher centres including district hospitals.

But, now the health department has started it in primary health centres too. For the purpose, the health department had developed a software called Ojas for depositing incentives directly into beneficiary accounts. Earlier, health department had been paying the incentives through cheques. But, in August 2015, it launched facilities of depositing the amount directly into the beneficiary accounts for transparency in payment process.

There are 2,319 PHCs in the state where the e-facilities for payment of incentives will be launched. Earlier, the facility was only available in 662 community health centres, district hospitals, satellite hospitals and sub district hospitals in the state.