THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a) to (c): Yes. The criterion for granting financial assistance to poor patients under
Health Ministerâs Discretionary Grant (HMDG) and Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) i.e. National
Illness Assistance Fund (NIAF) are as under:
(i) Poor patients with family income less than Rs.75,000/- annually and suffering from
major illness and requiring one-time treatment in Government hospitals/institutions are
eligible for financial assistance under HMDG. Financial assistance limits are - (a)
Rs.20,000/- if the estimated cost of treatment is up to Rs. 50,000/- ; (b) Rs. 40,000/-
if the estimated cost of treatment is above Rs. 50,000/- & up to Rs. 1,00,000/-; and (c)
Rs.50,000/- if the estimated cost of treatment is above Rs.1,00,000/-.
(ii) Under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) financial assistance is provided to the patients
living Below Poverty Line (BPL), who are suffering from major life threatening disease to
receive medical treatment in Government hospitals. The financial assistance to such patients
is released in the form of âone time grantâ to the Medical Superintendent of the hospital
in which the treatment is being received. The applicant has to submit an application in
the prescribed proforma duly filled in by the treating Doctor/HOD and countersigned by the
Medical Superintendent of the Hospital (Government Hospital) where the patient is receiving
the treatment, alongwith income certificate in original from the BDO/ Tehsildar/Collector
/SDM. The details of family members in case of BPL applicants i.e. attested copy of ration
card.
(iii) Under the RAN, the norms for Health Ministerâs Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF),are as under:
(a) Financial assistance is provided to patients, below poverty line, suffering from
cancer and undergoing treatment in Government hospitals and any of the 27 Regional Cancer
Centres.
(b) The financial assistance to the Cancer Patient up to Rs.1.00 lakh is provided by the
concerned Institutes /Hospitals through the revolving fund placed at their disposal. The
cases of financial assistance above this limit are to be referred by the Hospitals for
assistance from Central Funds.
(iv) The Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS) technically appraises the proposal
and thereafter, the approval of the Competent Authority is obtained for granting financial
assistance to the eligible patient. A cheque of the admissible amount is issued to the
hospital, who is required to submit utilization certificate to the Ministry.
(d ) List of eligible applicants, who have been benefitted under HMDG and RAN/HMCPF during
the last three years and current year, State/UT-wise and Regional Cancer Centres is at
Annexure-I to III respectively.