Financial Assistance to Poor

Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF)

The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund PMNRF) are utilized primarily to render immediate relief to families of those killed in natural calamities like floods, cyclones and earthquakes, etc. and to the victims of the major accidents and riots. In addition to this, the PMNRF provides financial assistance to indigent patients for treatment of major diseases at Government/ PMNRF empanelled hospitals to partially defray the expenses. Disbursements are made with the approval of the Prime Minister.

Applicants can apply for grant of financial assistance through an application form addressed to the Prime Minister. Applicants, applying for grant of financial assistance for medical treatment, are required to enclose two passport size photographs of patient (one pasted on application, another stapled with application), copy of residence proof, original medical certificate incorporating the type of disease and estimated cost of expenditure and copy of his/her income certificate. After receipt of application, the same is considered and disbursements are made at the sole discretion of the Prime Minister, keeping in view availability of funds and prior commitments of the PMNRF.

Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant (HMDG)

Financial assistance is provided under HMDG to the poor patients with family income less than Rs.1,00,000/- annually and suffering from major illness and undergoing treatment in Government Hospitals/Institutions, to defray a part of the expenditure on hospitalization/treatment, in cases where free medical facilities are not available.

Criteria laid down for sanctioning grants

The broad criteria laid down for sanctioning such grants are:

• Reimbursement of expenditure already incurred is not permissible.
• Prolonged treatment involving recurring expenditure is not permissible.
• Financial assistance is not admissible for diseases of common nature where treatment is not expensive.
• Financial assistance is not admissible for T.B. cases for which free treatment is available under National T.B.Control Programme.
• Cases for treatment in private hospital are not entertained.
• Central as well as State Government employees are not eligible for grant under rules.
• Only those having annual family income up to Rs.1.00,000/ - and below are eligible for financial assistance from Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant (HMDG)

Financial assistance limits are as follows:

• Rs.50, 000/- if the estimated cost of treatment is up to Rs. 1, 00,000/- .
• Rs. 75,000/- if the estimated cost of treatment is above Rs. 1,00,000/- & up to Rs. 1,50,000/-.
• Rs.1, 00,000/- if the estimated cost of treatment is above Rs.1, 50,000/-.

Application process

To avail financial assistance under HMDG, the patient is required to submit :

1. A copy of the prescribed proforma application duly filled in by the treating Doctor/HOD and duly countersigned by the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital from where the patient is receiving the treatment, to be submitted to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
2. A Certificate in original from the BDO/ Tehsildar/Collector /SDM (quoting full name, designation, telephone number and complete official address of the certificate issuing authority) regarding occupation and monthly/yearly income of the applicant and his/her family members from all sources.
3. Copy of the ration card.

For more details, contact
Director (Grants), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi - 110 011
Tel : 23063481/23061731

Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN)

The RAN was set up in 1997 to provide financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line prescribed from time to time and who are suffering from major life threatening diseases related to heart, liver, kidney and cancer cases, etc., to receive medical treatment at any of the super specialty Government hospitals / institutes or other Government hospitals. The financial assistance to such patients is released in the form of ‘one time grant’ to the Medical Superintendent of the hospital in which the treatment is being received.

Revolving Funds have been set up in 12 Central Government hospitals/institutes and amount up to Rs. 50 lakh is placed at their disposal for providing financial assistance. Accordingly only cases for financial assistance beyond Rs. 5 lakh would now be required to be referred to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

For patients suffering from life threatening diseases, where time is a premium, this would facilitate commencement of treatment of poor patients found prima facie eligible for assistance under the Scheme by these hospitals/institutions. This would also enable to curtail the procedural delay for treatment, which would bring relief to thousands of patients annually.

RAN - Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

Under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) the criterion is as under:

• Financial assistance is provided to patients, below poverty line suffering from Cancer and undergoing treatment in any of the 27 Regional Cancer Centres.
• The financial assistance to the Cancer patient up to Rs. 1, 00,000/- (Rs. 1.00 Lakh only) is processed by the Institute/Hospitals concerned 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.

The following criteria have been fixed for providing financial assistance to poor patients:

• 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, along with 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.
• 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, which is required to submit utilization certificate to the Ministry.

To avail financial assistance under HMCPF, the patient is required to submit :

1. Application form in prescribed proforma duly signed by the treating doctor and  countersigned by the Medical Superintendent of the Government hospital/institute/Regional Cancer Centre.
2. Copy of the income certificate.
3. Copy of the ration card.
4. Revolving Funds have been set up in 27 RCCs and funds upto 50 lakhs are placed at their disposal for providing treatment upto Rs. 5 lakh in each case.
5. Cases involving treatment beyond 5 lakh are referred to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India for providing funds.

Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Related resources

1. Application Form for financial assistance under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant (HMDG)
2. FAQs on RAN