Union Health Minister Shri J.P. Nadda Launches Nationwide Celebrations to Mark “10 Years of PMSMA – A Decade of Care”

1. At a Glance

PMSMA = flagship maternal health scheme of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) providing free, fixed-day, comprehensive Antenatal Care (ANC) on the 9th of every month to pregnant women in their 2nd/3rd trimesters at public health facilities [S2].
Completed 10 years on 9 June 2026; nationwide celebrations launched under theme "10 Years of PMSMA – A Decade of Care" by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda [S1].
Anchor scheme behind India's claim of an 86 % reduction in Maternal Mortality, outpacing the global average [S1].

9 June 2026 — Nadda launched decadal celebrations, released a ₹75 commemorative coin and a ₹5 postal stamp marking 10 years of PMSMA [S1].
New headline figures unveiled: Institutional Deliveries 90.6 %, ANC coverage 95.9 %, MMR cut by 86 % [S1].

2016 — PMSMA launched by MoHFW; PM in 31 July 2016 Mann Ki Baat urged private OB-GYNs to volunteer 12 days/year [S2].
9th day chosen symbolically for the 9 months of pregnancy [S2].
2018 — Crossed 1 crore ANC check-ups [S2].
2019 — Allied scheme SUMAN (Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan) launched for assured, dignified, free maternal/newborn care with zero tolerance for service denial [S3].
Extended PMSMA (e-PMSMA) rolled out — financial incentives to identified High-Risk Pregnancy (HRP) women and the accompanying ASHA for 3 extra visits above PMSMA [S3].
2026 — 10-year milestone with commemorative coin & stamp [S1].

Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI [S2].
Umbrella programme: National Health Mission (NHM).
Service day: 9th of every month (free, assured ANC) [S2].
Target group: Pregnant women in 2nd & 3rd trimesters [S2].
Network: >12,800 government health facilities across States/UTs [S2].
Providers: Obstetricians / Medical Officers / volunteer private sector OB-GYNs [S2].
Commemorative issues (2026): ₹75 coin; ₹5 postal stamp [S1].
MMR (SRS 2018-20): 97 per 1 lakh live births (down from 130 in 2014-16) [S3].
SDG 3.1 target: MMR ≤ 70/1 lakh live births by 2030 [S3].
Related scheme (2019): SUMAN — zero-denial, free maternal/newborn care [S3].

Social / Gender: Universalises quality ANC; reduces maternal-newborn mortality gradient between rural/urban and SC/ST/BPL women; institutional delivery rise to 90.6 % indicates near-universal facility-based birthing [S1].
Administrative: Public-Private Partnership model — voluntary enlistment of private OB-GYNs; e-PMSMA tracks HRP via individualised follow-up with ASHA incentivisation [S2][S3].
Health-System / Scientific: Standardised ANC package — Hb, BP, urine, USG, TT, IFA, identification of HRP (anaemia, hypertension, GDM) — operationalises evidence-based obstetric protocols [S2].
Governance / Fiscal: Free of cost at point of care; financed via NHM; commemorative coin/stamp signal political ownership at the decadal mark [S1].
Global / SDG alignment: Contributes to SDG 3.1; India MMR trajectory (384→103, UN-MMEIG 2020) aligns with global targets [S3].

9 June 2026: Decadal launch event by J.P. Nadda; release of ₹75 coin and ₹5 stamp; announcement of 86 % MMR reduction, ANC 95.9 %, Institutional Deliveries 90.6 % [S1].
Continued scale-up of e-PMSMA HRP tracking with ASHA incentives [S3].
Ongoing convergence with SUMAN for zero-denial maternal care [S3].

PMSMA launched in 2016 by MoHFW [S2].
Services delivered on the 9th of every month — symbolic of 9 months of pregnancy [S2].
Beneficiaries: pregnant women in 2nd and 3rd trimesters [S2].
>12,800 govt facilities offer PMSMA sessions [S2].
e-PMSMA = extended strategy with incentives for High-Risk Pregnancy tracking and ASHA [S3].
SUMAN launched 2019 — assured, dignified, free maternal & newborn care [S3].
India's MMR fell from 130 (2014-16) to 97 (2018-20) per 1 lakh live births [S3].
SDG 3.1 target: MMR 70/lakh by 2030 [S3].
₹75 commemorative coin and ₹5 postal stamp released on 9 June 2026 [S1].
Decadal theme: "10 Years of PMSMA – A Decade of Care" [S1].
Reported figures (2026): Institutional Deliveries 90.6 %, ANC coverage 95.9 %, MMR reduction 86 % [S1].
PM in Mann Ki Baat, 31 July 2016, asked private OB-GYNs to give 12 days/year to PMSMA [S2].

GS-II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; Issues relating to health; Government policies and interventions.
GS-I (Society): Women's issues, role of NGOs/SHGs in health outreach.
Question stems: 1. "Evaluate the role of PMSMA in India's progress towards SDG 3.1. What gaps remain in addressing high-risk pregnancies?" 2. "Despite institutional deliveries crossing 90 %, maternal mortality remains uneven across states. Discuss the structural reasons and suggest reforms." 3. "Examine the public-private partnership model embedded in PMSMA. How has it been institutionalised through e-PMSMA and SUMAN?"

SUMAN (2019) — sister scheme assuring zero-denial maternal care [S3].
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) — cash incentive for institutional delivery.
Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) — free entitlements for pregnant women/newborns.
POSHAN Abhiyaan / Anaemia Mukt Bharat — links to maternal nutrition.
LaQshya — labour room quality improvement.
Mission Indradhanush — immunisation continuum.
SDG 3 indicators & UN-MMEIG estimates — MMR benchmarking [S3].
National Health Mission architecture — financing & ASHA workforce.

PMSMA is not launched under Ayushman Bharat; it is under NHM/MoHFW since 2016, not 2018.
ANC is offered on the 9th of every month, not the 1st or every Wednesday.
Targets 2nd & 3rd trimester women — not 1st trimester.
MMR figure 97 is from SRS 2018-20; do not confuse with UN-MMEIG estimate (103 for 2020).
SUMAN ≠ PMSMA — SUMAN (2019) is broader (intrapartum + postnatal + newborn); PMSMA is ANC-specific.
The "9" in PMSMA day refers to 9 months of pregnancy, not the date of launch.

[S1] Union Health Minister Launches Nationwide Celebrations to Mark "10 Years of PMSMA" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2270828 — (tier 1)
[S2] Nine years of Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=154588&ModuleId=3&reg=3&lang=2 — (tier 1)
[S3] Update on Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) / Steps for Reducing Maternal Mortality — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2040949 — (tier 1)