What this scheme offers
Tuberculosis treatment itself is already free at government facilities in India — the harder problem NTEP addresses is everything around the treatment: the months of reduced earning capacity, the nutrition a recovering body actually needs, and the very real risk that someone stops treatment partway through because the household can no longer absorb the cost of simply not working. Free diagnosis (including rapid molecular testing, not just the older microscopy) and free multi-drug treatment are the baseline. On top of that, Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana pays ₹1,000 a month directly to every notified TB patient — any patient, regardless of income — for the full duration of treatment, specifically so nutrition isn't the thing that breaks a recovery. India has set a target of eliminating TB by 2025, well ahead of the global 2030 goal, which is part of why this programme has expanded so aggressively in recent years.
Who is eligible
- Any person diagnosed with TB (drug-sensitive or drug-resistant) at a government health facility, or privately diagnosed and notified to the programme.
- No income or category restriction for free diagnosis and treatment.
- Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana's ₹1,000/month applies to every notified patient, for the duration of treatment.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card
- Bank account details (for Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana DBT)
- TB diagnosis/notification record from the treating facility
How to apply
- Visit your nearest government hospital, primary health centre, or Ayushman Arogya Mandir if you have TB symptoms (persistent cough 2+ weeks, fever, weight loss) for free diagnostic testing.
- If diagnosed, you are registered ("notified") on the Ni-kshay platform, which triggers both free treatment and the monthly nutrition support.
- Private doctors are legally required to notify TB cases too — if you're diagnosed privately, ask your doctor to notify you on Ni-kshay so you receive the same support.
- Provide your bank account details for the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana payment to be credited directly, typically monthly.
- Complete your full treatment course as prescribed — stopping early is the single biggest driver of drug-resistant TB, which is far harder and costlier to treat.