PMSMA at ten — a decade of free antenatal care on the 9th of every month

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), launched 9 June 2016, completes its tenth year; the Health Ministry marks the milestone with a ₹75 commemorative coin and ₹5 postal stamp, and the nine assured services continue to reduce maternal mortality.

What happened

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced nationwide celebrations from 9 June 2026 to mark '10 Years of PMSMA – A Decade of Care' — the tenth anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA).
• PMSMA was launched by PM Modi on 9 June 2016; it guarantees free, comprehensive Antenatal Care (ANC) services to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month at government health facilities, delivered by specialists and senior doctors — taking the ANC service to a higher clinical standard than routine check-ups.
• The nine assured free services under PMSMA cover: blood pressure measurement, weight check, abdominal examination, haemoglobin (Hb) test, blood group and Rh factor, blood sugar test, hepatitis B screening, syphilis test and urine test — addressing the core diagnostic needs of safe pregnancy.
• The anniversary launch will be presided over by Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda; a special ₹75 commemorative coin and a ₹5 postal stamp will be released to mark the decade of contribution to safe motherhood.
• PMSMA is a vital pillar of the Continuum of Care approach under the RMNCH+A Strategy (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Adolescents), which links antenatal, delivery, postnatal and child-health interventions as a seamless continuum.
• India's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined significantly — from ~556 (1990) to ~97 (2018–20) per 1,00,000 live births — with PMSMA, Janani Suraksha Yojana and broader NHM investments each playing a role.

For Prelims

• PMSMA (Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan): Launched 9 June 2016 under NHM; provides free comprehensive ANC on the 9th of every month by specialists. Nine assured services: BP, weight, abdominal exam, Hb, blood group, blood sugar, hepatitis B, syphilis, urine test. The most tested definition for this card.
• MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio): Maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births — a key SDG 3.1 indicator (global target: <70 by 2030). India's MMR fell from ~556 (1990) → ~97 (2018-20); PMSMA, NHM, JSY and institutional delivery together drive this improvement. Know the trend.
• RMNCH+A Strategy: Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Adolescents — India's integrated approach to reducing maternal and child mortality by linking care across the life cycle in a Continuum of Care. PMSMA is the antenatal anchor of this strategy.
• ANC (Antenatal Care): Medical care during pregnancy — monitoring foetal development, maternal health and screening for complications. WHO recommends ≥8 ANC contacts during pregnancy; PMSMA's monthly specialist visits supplement routine ANC, particularly in underserved areas.
• NHM (National Health Mission): The umbrella mission (2013, incorporating NRHM 2005) that funds PMSMA, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) and other schemes. Know NHM as the parent of PMSMA and all maternal/child health schemes.
• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): A conditional cash-transfer scheme under NHM that incentivises institutional delivery, especially in low-performing states. Complementary to PMSMA (which covers ANC) in the Continuum of Care — know the distinction: PMSMA = ANC; JSY = delivery incentive.
• ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist): The community health worker who mobilises pregnant women for ANC, delivery and postnatal care — the last-mile link between PMSMA and beneficiaries in remote/tribal areas. ASHA + ANM + Specialist (at PMSMA camp) = the delivery chain.
• Don't confuse three distinct NHM maternal schemes: (1) PMSMA — free monthly specialist ANC; (2) Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) — cash incentive for institutional delivery; (3) Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) — free transport, treatment and diet for pregnant women at government facilities. Three different interventions under one NHM umbrella.

For Mains

Syllabus: GS2.13 · GS1.6 · Linkage L1