What this scheme offers
Set up in 1997, RAN provides one-time financial assistance to BPL patients suffering major life-threatening illnesses — including heart disease, kidney failure, cancer, and other conditions requiring treatment at a super-speciality government hospital or institute. The grant is paid directly to the Medical Superintendent of the treating hospital, not to the patient personally, so it flows straight into covering treatment costs. Revolving Funds have been established at 13 Central Government Hospitals/Institutions specifically to speed up disbursal for urgent cases. RAN is generally treated as a last-resort option — patients are usually expected to first access coverage under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY or a similar state health scheme, with RAN available where those don't fully cover the cost or don't apply.
Who is eligible
- Patients living Below the Poverty Line (BPL), as certified by the relevant authority.
- Diagnosed with a major life-threatening illness requiring specialised or super-speciality treatment.
- Being treated (or seeking treatment) at a government super-speciality hospital, medical college, or other listed Central Government institution.
- No specific age limit.
Documents required
- BPL certificate
- Medical records confirming diagnosis and treatment recommendation from the treating hospital
- Estimated treatment cost from the hospital
- Identity proof (Aadhaar)
How to apply
- Get admitted to (or referred for treatment by) a government super-speciality hospital or listed Central Government institution.
- Ask the hospital's Medical Superintendent's office about applying for Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi assistance — the hospital typically initiates and manages this application on the patient's behalf.
- Submit your BPL certificate, medical records, and estimated treatment cost through the hospital.
- The application is reviewed by a Committee of Doctors or the Medical Superintendent, who recommends the grant amount.
- The approved grant is released directly to the hospital to cover the patient's treatment costs.
- Confirm with your hospital whether you should first apply for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY coverage, since RAN is generally a supplementary or last-resort source of funding.