I want to talk about something that many people in our country face quietly, a disease that doesn’t just harm the body but also weakens a person mentally and financially. I’m talking about Tuberculosis (TB). TB is a serious disease, and its treatment is not only long-term but also demanding on the patient’s body. Many TB patients, especially from poor and underprivileged backgrounds, struggle not only with medicines but also with a lack of proper nutrition. Without the right food, even the best medicines can lose their effect. To solve this exact problem, the Indian government launched a very thoughtful and much-needed initiative, the Nikshay Poshan Yojana. This scheme provides monthly financial support of ₹1000 to every TB patient registered under the program. This support is meant to help them afford nutritious food during their treatment period. So today, in this blog, I’ll walk you through every detail of the Nikshay Poshan Yojana in a simple, easy-to-understand way, just like I would explain to a friend or a family member.

What is Nikshay Poshan Yojana?

The Nikshay Poshan Yojana is a government welfare scheme launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India. It started on 1st April 2018 and is focused on one main goal: to provide nutritional support to people suffering from TB. Under this scheme, every TB patient registered with a government health facility is given ₹1000 per month directly into their bank account. This money is to help them buy nutritious food so that their body can recover faster and their immune system stays strong during the long treatment process. Earlier, the amount was just ₹500 per month, but in November 2024, it was increased to ₹1000 per month, which shows the government’s intent to improve the support for TB patients.

🥗 Supporting TB Patients for aHealthierTomorrow!
Nutrition kits were distributed to TB patientsunderthe Nikshay Poshan Yojana as part of the National Tuberculosis EliminationProgram (NTEP)atAmbli Urban Health Center, AMC.A steptowardsbetter recovery through nutrition & care. 🌿 pic.twitter.com/rHjsOUu4Fb

— AMC Ahmedabad MunicipalCorporationHealthDepartment (@dsbccAmc) May 9, 2025

Why Was This Scheme Needed?

Let me explain the logic behind this scheme. When someone is diagnosed with TB, the treatment usually goes on for several months, in some cases, even up to a year. During this time, the body becomes weak due to strong medications and the disease itself. Now, if the patient doesn’t get enough nutritional food, the body gets weaker and the treatment becomes less effective. This is exactly what happens with poor families, they somehow manage the medicines from the hospital but can’t afford a proper diet. Nikshay Poshan Yojana steps in here and helps these patients by giving them the money to buy food, fruits, milk, eggs, and other items needed for their recovery. The scheme is not just about financial help, it’s about giving people a real chance to fight TB and win their life back.

Benefits of Nikshay Poshan Yojana

Everything mentioned here is referenced from verified government sources to help you understand the scheme clearly.

This scheme has multiple benefits, and I’ll break them down so you can understand how impactful it really is:

Benefit	Details
Monthly Nutritional Support	₹1000 per month is given to all registered TB patients during their treatment.
Strengthens Recovery	Proper nutrition helps boost immunity and makes the treatment more effective.
Reduces Economic Burden	Helps poor families bear the additional cost of food during treatment.
Improves Medication Consistency	When patients feel better, they are more likely to complete the full course of treatment.
Helps Achieve National TB-Free Goal	Encourages people to not drop out of treatment, leading to faster TB eradication.

This scheme does not discriminate by age, gender, or income. If you have TB and are registered under the program, you are eligible, simple as that.

Eligibility Criteria for Nikshay Poshan Yojana

Now let’s talk about who can apply or benefit from this scheme. It’s important to meet a few conditions:

1. The patient must be diagnosed with TB at a government hospital or health center.
2. The patient must be registered on the official Nikshay portal.
3. The scheme is applicable to all age groups suffering from TB, children, adults, or elderly.
4. The patient must have a valid bank account, as the amount is transferred through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).
5. The patient must have a TB diagnosis certificate issued by a certified government doctor.

Required Documents

To get the benefits, these documents are required:

• Aadhaar Card
• Bank Passbook
• Mobile Number
• Passport Size Photo
• TB Diagnosis Certificate from a government doctor or health facility

Keep in mind that if the patient is a minor or does not have a bank account, the amount can be transferred to the parent’s or guardian’s account.

How to Apply for Nikshay Poshan Yojana

Now the important question, how to apply? You can apply in two ways: online or offline.

Online Application Process:

1. Visit the official website: nikshay.in
2. Click on “New Health Facility Registration”
3. Fill out the registration form with all details and click Continue
4. Enter the OTP received on your mobile and click Submit
5. Set a password, and confirm it. Submit to receive your Username and Password
6. Now, Login using your credentials
7. On the dashboard, click New Enrollment
8. Fill the patient details in the form
9. Click “Add Case and Proceed to Add Test”, this will generate a New Episode ID
10. Note down this Episode ID and also the TB Notification Number from the Ni-Kshay Reports section
11. Visit your nearest government hospital with all documents and the application reference

The health center will verify your application and start your monthly payments.

Offline Application Process:

If you are not comfortable with online steps, don’t worry. You can apply offline by simply visiting your nearest government hospital or TB treatment center with all your documents. The health staff will guide you through the form filling and registration on the Nikshay portal.

What If You Face Problems?

If you or anyone in your family faces any issue while applying or receiving payments, you can call the helpline number: 1800-11-6666. This is a toll-free number provided by the government to help people understand and resolve any problem related to the scheme.

Real Impact of Nikshay Poshan Yojana

Let me share what I’ve seen around me. A woman in my locality named Sarla Devi was diagnosed with TB last year. Her family barely earns enough for two meals a day. She was getting medicines from the government hospital, but her condition wasn’t improving much because of lack of proper food. When a local ASHA worker helped her enroll in Nikshay Poshan Yojana, she started receiving ₹1000 every month. With this money, she began having better food, dal, vegetables, fruits, and milk, and within a few months, her health started showing real improvement. She completed her TB treatment and now encourages others to register for this scheme. Her story proves how small financial help can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, the Nikshay Poshan Yojana is more than just a government scheme. It is a lifeline for lakhs of TB patients across India, especially those from weaker economic backgrounds. By ensuring that patients have access to nutrition along with medication, the government is fighting TB on both physical and economic fronts. If you know someone suffering from TB, tell them about this scheme. Share this information in your community. Let’s make sure no one drops out of TB treatment just because they can’t afford a proper meal. Together, we can support our country in becoming TB-free.