## Summary of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) Assistance for Cancer Patients
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides financial assistance to poor cancer patients under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), specifically through the Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). This scheme offers one-time financial aid of up to Rs. 15 lakh for cancer treatment at Regional Cancer Centres, Tertiary Care Cancer Centres, State Cancer Institutes, and other government hospitals.
Eligibility for assistance is determined by residing below the State/UT-wise poverty line or belonging to States/UTs whose National Food Security Act (NFSA) data is integrated on the National Health Authority's (NHA) IT platform. Applications can be submitted offline through any Government hospital (for States/UTs with non-integrated NFSA data) or online via the Transaction Management System (TMS) for integrated States/UTs. Online applications require a RAN ID generated by the Government hospital. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries from integrated States/UTs and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) beneficiaries requiring treatment not covered under AB PM-JAY are also eligible for online assistance.
Offline applications require a prescribed proforma signed by the treating doctor and Medical Superintendent, along with income certificate and ration card. Online applications require Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card and Aadhaar card. Financial assistance is released directly to the treating hospitals/institutes.
In 2024-25, Rs. 27.06 Crores was disbursed under the Umbrella Scheme of RAN, including HMCPF. As of July 16, 2025, in 2025-26, Rs. 9.14 Crores has been disbursed, benefiting 134 patients.
Further information on the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi can be found at: https://mohfw.gov.in/en/MajorProgrammespoorpatientsfinancialsupport. The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, provided this information.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for health policy in India.
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi: An umbrella scheme by the Indian government to provide financial assistance to poor patients.
Health Ministers Cancer Patient Fund: A component of the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) specifically for cancer patients.
National Food Security Act: An Indian Act of Parliament which aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-thirds of the country's population.
National Health Authority: The apex body responsible for implementing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: A national public health insurance fund of the Government of India that aims to provide free access to health insurance coverage for low income earners in the country.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana: A Government of India scheme to provide highly subsidized food to the poorest families.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Steps taken to assist cancer patients under
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN)
Up to 15 Lakh aid is provided for poor cancer
patients under RAN’s Health Minister’s Cancer
Patient Fund
Government hospitals facilitate RAN financial aid
applications through integrated online and offline
systems
Financial assistance is provided for cancer treatment
at Regional Cancer Centres, Tertiary Care Cancer
Centres, State Cancer Institutes, and government
hospitals
Posted On: 08 AUG 2025 4:49PM by PIB Delhi
One-time financial assistance of up to Rs. 15 lakh is provided for the treatment of poor patients, suffering
from cancer under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) component of the Umbrella Scheme
of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), who are living below State/UT-wise threshold poverty line (offline mode)
and also for the treatment of those poor patients who belong to those States/UTs the National Food Security
Act (NFSA) data of which is integrated on National Health Authority (NHA)’s IT platform (online mode).
Patients can apply for financial assistance under the Umbrella Scheme of RAN through either offline or online
modes. Offline submission of applications can be made through any Government hospital by patients
belonging to those States/UTs, the NFSA data of which is not integrated on the National Health Authority
(NHA)’s IT platform. For online mode (for States/UTs which are integrated on NHA’s IT platform), the
Government hospital generates the RAN ID of the eligible patient and, subsequently, the application is
processed further through the Transaction Management System (TMS). Upon approval, confirmation is sent
to the bank for reserving the funds for the patient, and treatment commences. Antyodaya beneficiaries from
States/UTs where the National Food Security Act (NFSA) data has been integrated with the National Health
Authority’s (NHA) IT platform, as well as Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-
JAY) beneficiaries requiring treatment not covered under AB PM-JAY, are eligible to avail benefits under the
Umbrella Scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) through the online mode.
Financial assistance for eligible patients is released to the treating hospitals/institutes. Since the funds arereleased on a case-by-case basis in both online and offline modes, State/ UT-wise data is not maintained
centrally. An amount of Rs. 27.06 Crores was disbursed under the Umbrella Scheme of RAN, which includes
a component of HMCPF in 2024-25. A total of 134 poor patients have benefited through the said scheme in
2025-2026 (till 16.07.2025) with an amount of Rs. 9.14 Crores disbursed.
Offline applications are required to be in the prescribed proforma, duly signed by the treating doctor and
countersigned by the Medical Superintendent of the Government hospital, along with the Income Certificate
and Ration Card of the family is required to be submitted for seeking financial assistance under RAN.
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card and Aadhaar card are required for processing of applications
through online mode. The process of cases under RAN involves various stages of action, i.e. scrutiny of the
application, placing the matter before the Technical Committee, for administrative and financial approvals.
The financial assistance is provided for treatment of the patients at Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs)/Tertiary
Care Cancer Centres (TCCCs), State Cancer Institutes (SCIs), and other government hospitals/institutes
having cancer treatment facilities.
More information on the Umbrella Scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi can be accessed at the link:
https://mohfw.gov.in/?q=en/Major-Programmes/poor-patients-financial-support
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, stated this in a written
reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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MV
HFW/ Steps taken to assist cancer patients under RAN/08 August 2025/3
(Release ID: 2154159)