The Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) is a centrally sponsored Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in April 2018 under the National Health Mission (NHM). The scheme's primary objective is to provide nutritional support to tuberculosis (TB) patients, recognizing that poor nutrition is a major factor contributing to high infection rates and poor treatment outcomes in India. It was created to address the financial distress and nutritional needs of people with TB, which is crucial for successful treatment and recovery.
The NPY connects directly to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), which aims to eliminate TB in India by 2025. The scheme works by providing a financial incentive to all TB patients who are registered or notified on the Ni-kshay Portal on or after April 1, 2018, regardless of whether they are receiving treatment from the public or private sector. Initially, the benefit was ₹500 per month for the duration of the patient's anti-TB treatment. However, the amount was later increased to ₹1,000 per month starting from November 1, 2024. The incentive is transferred directly to the patient's bank account, preferably an Aadhaar-enabled account, through the DBT system. For pediatric patients, the money is deposited into the parents' or guardians' accounts. The scheme also allows for the incentive to be distributed "in-kind" through food baskets, provided the value is not less than the cash benefit. The scheme has been supplemented by the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative, which allows individuals and organizations to volunteer to support TB patients with nutritional and other forms of care.