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  • [20th June 2026] The Hindu OpED: India’s cheapest power is here, the grid must catch up

    PYQ Relevance[UPSC 2013] Write a note on India’s green energy corridor to alleviate the problem of conventional energy.
    Linkage: The question examines the role of transmission infrastructure in enabling large-scale renewable energy integration.The article shows that transmission bottlenecks, not generation capacity, have become the main constraint on India’s clean-energy transition, reinforcing the importance of the Green Energy Corridor.

    Mentor’s Comment

    India now produces some of the world’s cheapest solar and wind power, yet more than 50 GW of completed renewable capacity remains stranded not because projects are unfinished, but because grid connectivity and transmission is unavailable.

    Why Has Transmission Become the Binding Constraint in India’s Energy Transition?

    1. Cheapest Source of Power: Solar and wind have emerged as India’s lowest-cost electricity sources, with firm clean power available at around ₹3.5 per kWh when paired with storage.
    2. Rapid Renewable Expansion: India added over 45 GW of renewable capacity in 2025 and currently has about 250 GW installed, with another 100 GW under construction.
    3. Existing Base and Pipeline: India currently has about 250 GW of renewable capacity installed and another 100 GW under construction, indicating that transmission expansion is lagging generation growth.
    4. Stranded Renewable Capacity: More than 50 GW of completed renewable projects remain unable to evacuate power due to transmission shortages.
    5. Mismatch in Project Timelines: Renewable projects can be commissioned within 12-18 months, whereas transmission corridors often require 3-5 years.
    6. Future Scale Requirement: India may require nearly 2,000 GW of renewable capacity by 2050 to meet rising electricity demand and electrification goals.

    How Can Existing Grid Assets Unlock Nearly 1,000 GW of Additional Clean Energy?

    1. Storage at Renewable Sites: Batteries can store surplus daytime generation and supply power during evening peaks, significantly increasing utilisation of existing transmission lines.
    2. Reuse of Coal Corridors: Underutilised transmission infrastructure connected to coal plants can be shared with renewable projects, unlocking the equivalent of nearly 100 GW of clean-energy capacity.
    3. Leveraging Existing Substations: Available capacity at transmission substations can accommodate additional renewable connections and support battery integration, enabling another 100 GW equivalent.
    4. Reconductoring Existing Lines: Replacing older conductors with high-temperature, low-sag conductors can nearly double power-carrying capacity on the same towers.
    5. Combined Impact: Storage, shared infrastructure, and reconductoring together can unlock more than 1,000 GW of clean-energy potential within the existing transmission footprint.

    Does Better Grid Utilisation Solve the Problem or Merely Defer It?

    1. Fastest Short-Term Solution: Grid optimisation can be deployed within months and quickly connect stranded renewable projects.
    2. Not a Substitute for Expansion: Existing infrastructure alone cannot support India’s projected renewable requirement of 2,000 GW.
    3. Scale Limitation: Future renewable parks and industrial electrification will require entirely new transmission corridors.
    4. Sequencing Advantage: Optimisation provides immediate relief while larger transmission projects are planned and executed.
    5. Grid Expansion Imperative: India plans a 40% expansion of its transmission network over the next decade, costing more than $100 billion. New corridors must incorporate advanced conductors and storage compatibility to avoid recreating future bottlenecks.
    6. Core Tension: The cheapest and fastest solution is grid optimisation, but the durable solution remains large-scale transmission expansion. Both approaches are necessary.

    What Regulatory and Policy Changes Are Needed?

    1. Storage-Linked Renewable Planning: Regulators should promote greater integration of storage with renewable projects to improve grid utilisation.
    2. State-Level Implementation: States and distribution utilities must incorporate storage and grid-efficiency measures into procurement and planning decisions.
    3. Technology-Oriented Procurement: Procurement norms should reward advanced transmission technologies that expand capacity without requiring new corridors.
    4. Integrated Infrastructure Planning: Renewable energy zones and transmission corridors should be developed in a coordinated manner.
    5. Future-Proof Transmission Design: New transmission infrastructure should be designed for significantly higher renewable penetration from the outset.

    What Does International Experience Reveal About Transmission Bottlenecks?

    1. United States: Delays in connecting renewable projects to the grid have emerged as a major obstacle to the clean-energy transition.
    2. Europe: Several European countries face similar transmission constraints despite substantial renewable deployment.
    3. Common Lesson: Cheap renewable generation alone does not guarantee energy transition success unless transmission capacity keeps pace.
    4. India’s Advantage: A unified national grid and a strong record of transmission expansion provide India with an opportunity to avoid similar bottlenecks.

    Conclusion

    India’s energy transition has moved from a generation challenge to a transmission challenge. The fastest gains lie in optimising existing grid infrastructure through storage, shared transmission assets, and reconductoring, which together can unlock nearly 1,000 GW of additional clean-energy potential. However, optimisation only buys time; achieving India’s long-term renewable ambitions requires simultaneous investment in new, high-capacity transmission corridors. India’s success will depend on pursuing both tracks together.

  • The key hurdle to climate targets: Electrification

    Why in the News?

    At the Bonn climate talks, Turkey proposed raising the global electrification target to 35% by 2035, ahead of hosting COP31 in Antalya with Australia in November. Electricity meets only a small fraction of the world’s energy needs, and most of that electricity is itself generated from fossil fuels. This exposes a gap between rising clean electricity generation and the much slower pace at which economies actually switch their energy consumption to electricity.

    Where does electrification fit among existing global climate goals?

    1. Paris Agreement temperature targets: The 2015 Paris Agreement commits the world to limiting the rise in global temperatures within 2 degrees Celsius, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, from pre-industrial times.
    2. Renewable capacity target: Annual COP meetings have produced the goal of increasing the installed capacity of renewable energy.
    3. Net-zero target: COP meetings have also produced the goal of achieving a global net-zero emissions target.
    4. Climate finance target: Mobilising climate finance is a further goal that has emerged from COP meetings.
    5. Electrification as a new addition: The 35% electrification target, if agreed upon, would be one more addition to this existing set of climate-related global goals, all aimed at reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels and speeding up the energy transition.

    How is the progress of the energy transition measured?

    1. Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES): A measure of all energy available for use in an economy, including energy consumed in producing, transforming and transporting energy itself.
    2. Final Energy Consumption (FEC): A measure of energy ultimately used by end-consumers. It excludes energy burnt to produce electricity, energy used in refining petroleum, diesel burnt in transporting fuel, and transmission and distribution losses.
    3. Structural difference between fossil fuels and renewables: Fossil fuels are direct sources of energy and only require to be burnt to produce energy, whereas renewable sources such as solar, wind, nuclear or hydropower have to be converted into electricity before they can be put to use.
    4. Why electrification rate is the relevant metric: Because renewable sources require conversion into electricity before use, every final use of energy would have to be electrified for a complete transition away from fossil fuels to be possible.

    Why does electrification remain limited despite rising electricity demand?

    1. Slow movement in FEC share: Electricity’s share in FEC rose only from 17.7% in 2015 to 21% in 2025, a modest increase over a decade.
      1. Global electricity share in FEC: Electricity accounted for only 21% of total final energy consumption (TFEC) in 2025, according to the IEA.
      2. India’s electricity share in FEC: The corresponding figure for India is about 23%, according to government data.
    2. Rising generation volumes: Global electricity generation increased from about 24 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2015 to over 32 TWh in 2025, a rise of nearly 33%.
    3. Generation growth has outpaced consumption-side electrification: Electricity output rose by a third over the decade while its share of final consumption rose by only about 3 percentage points.
    4. Hard-to-electrify sectors persist: Shipping, aviation, heavy-duty and long-haul trucks, high-temperature industrial processes in iron, steel, cement and ceramics, and many residential needs like heating remain largely unelectrified and cannot run on renewables.

    Which sectors remain difficult to electrify?

    1. Aviation: Long-distance air travel lacks commercially viable large-scale electric alternatives.
    2. Shipping: Heavy maritime transport depends on high-energy-density fuels.
    3. Heavy Industry: Steel, cement and chemicals require high-temperature industrial processes.
    4. Long-Haul Freight: Heavy trucks face battery and charging limitations.
    5. Energy-Intensive Manufacturing: Several production processes remain dependent on fossil fuels.

    Why does renewable energy success not automatically translate into climate success?

    1. Steady rise in clean generation share: The share of non-fossil sources (renewables, hydro and nuclear) in electricity generation rose from 33.6% in 2015 to 42.6% in 2025, according to the IEA.
    2. Electricity itself is still the majority fossil: In 2025, only about 42% of all electricity generated worldwide came from non-fossil sources, meaning most electricity generated is still fossil-based.
    3. Compounding effect on total energy use: Only 21% of total final energy consumption is met through electricity, and only about 42% of that electricity is clean.
    4. The reality-check figure: This means just over 8% of total energy consumed in the world is currently clean.
    5. Three decades of policy effort, limited consumption-side result: Nearly three decades of favourable policies, financial incentives and technology innovation to promote cleaner fuels have left more than 90% of current global energy use still dependent on fossil fuels.

    How ambitious is the proposed 35% electrification target?

    1. IRENA’s threshold for 1.5°C: The International Renewable Energy Agency states that a 35% electrification rate by 2035 is the minimum needed to keep any realistic hope of staying on the 1.5-degrees Celsius pathway.
    2. Investment requirement: Achieving that level of electrification requires about $1.2 trillion to be pumped into electricity systems every year.
    3. Accompanying requirements: Rapid expansion in renewables and battery storage systems must also happen alongside this investment.
    4. Scale of the gap from current trajectory: The IEA projects electricity’s share of global FEC will rise to only about 24% by 2030, against a target of 35% by 2035, even as non-fossil sources (renewables plus hydro and nuclear) are projected to supply nearly half of global electricity by 2030.

    What risks could derail even this limited trajectory?

    1. Geopolitical uncertainty: It is unclear how wars and geopolitical tensions will affect the pace of energy transition.
    2. Two opposing pressures: Greater uncertainty in fossil fuel supplies and rising oil prices may push some countries toward renewables, while the economic fallout of conflicts may squeeze budgets available for new technologies and infrastructure.
    3. Risk of reverting to convenient fuels: Countries may be tempted to use whatever energy source is easily available, regardless of its climate impact.

    What do international targets indicate about the future direction of climate policy?

    1. COP28 Consensus: Countries agreed to accelerate the global energy transition.
    2. IRENA Roadmap: The agency proposes raising electrification to 35% by 2035.
    3. Net-Zero Pathways: Most credible decarbonisation scenarios require major electrification gains.
    4. Renewables-Electrification Link: Renewable expansion and electrification must progress together.
    5. Long-Term Transition: Climate targets increasingly depend on transforming energy consumption patterns, not merely energy production.

    Conclusion

    Clean electricity generation has scaled steadily, but the constraint on climate targets has shifted to how much of total energy consumption is electrified, not how clean the electricity supply is. Only about 8% of global energy consumption is currently clean, and electricity’s FEC share is projected to reach just 24% by 2030 against a 35% by 2035 target. Hence, climate progress will remain limited unless transport, industry and buildings convert their direct fossil-fuel use to electricity at a much faster pace.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2022] Do you think India will meet 50 per cent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer.

    Linkage: The question examines India’s renewable energy transition and the feasibility of achieving climate commitments. The article argues that renewable energy expansion alone is insufficient; achieving climate goals also requires rapid electrification of final energy consumption.

  • Right of way

    Why in the News?

    The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that the right to walk safely on demarcated footpaths is part of Article 21 and therefore a fundamental right. The judgment highlights the gap between constitutional recognition of pedestrian rights and the absence of adequate pedestrian infrastructure.

    What has the Supreme Court held on the right to walk?

    1. Article 21 Protection: The Court held that safe access to footpaths forms part of the right to life and personal liberty.
    2. Pedestrian Dignity: Walking is not merely a mode of transport. It is a constitutional entitlement linked to safety and dignity.
    3. State Responsibility: Governments must ensure safe pedestrian infrastructure and cannot treat pedestrians as secondary road users.
    4. Compensation Jurisprudence: The ruling emerged from a case involving the death of a five-year-old child who was hit by a tanker lorry in Karnataka.

    Why Does India Lack Functional Pedestrian Infrastructure?

    1. No central law: No national law governs pedestrian rights or safety.
    2. Vehicle-Centric Planning: Urban transport systems prioritise road expansion and vehicle movement.
    3. Fragmented responsibility: Responsibility for pedestrian safety is split across municipal laws, town-planning statutes, and street design guidelines, with no single accountable authority.
    4. Minimal safety standard: Current practice treats pedestrians as safe if they face no immediate physical harm, not if they have usable, continuous infrastructure.
    5. Physical encroachment: Existing footpaths are frequently encroached by parking, vendors, utilities, and construction debris.
    6. Competing infrastructure priorities: Road-widening projects compete with footpath space, with roads typically winning.

    Why is recognition of a right insufficient by itself?

    1. Rights Need Infrastructure: A right becomes ineffective when the supporting public infrastructure is absent.
    2. Implementation Deficit: India often struggles with execution rather than legal recognition.
    3. Administrative Neglect: Urban local bodies frequently delay or abandon pedestrian projects.
    4. Funding Priorities: Public expenditure remains concentrated on road widening and motorised transport.
    5. Behavioural Norms: Motorists often view pedestrians as obstacles rather than legitimate road users.

    What Tension Does the Ruling Expose Between Rights Recognition and State Capacity?

    1. Right without infrastructure is hollow: If the state does not build footpaths, the citizen’s right to walk on them carries no practical content.
    2. Compensation is not prevention: A right enforced only through post-tragedy compensation does not change the conditions that caused the harm.
    3. Conflict with the Street Vendors Act: The new judgment is likely to generate disputes with the 2014 Act, since reclaiming footpaths for pedestrians can mean removing vendors the 2014 Act protects.
    4. Risk of gentrification: A state acting on this ruling could use it to clear footpaths of informal commercial activity, criminalising the survival strategies of the urban poor under the cover of a pedestrian-rights judgment.

    Does India’s Experience with Rights-Based Legislation Suggest that Legal Recognition Alone Is Insufficient?

    1. Street Vendors Act, 2014: The Act protects vendors’ right to trade under Article 19(1)(g). Implementation has lagged because surveys, Town Vending Committees, and vending zones remain incomplete. Municipalities continue eviction drives despite legal protection.
    2. Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003: Public smoking declined through sustained enforcement, social messaging, and small immediate penalties. Behaviour changed because legal recognition was backed by continuous implementation.
    3. Swachh Bharat and Waste Segregation Laws: Citizens are required to segregate waste. Municipal systems often fail to collect segregated waste. The absence of supporting infrastructure weakens compliance.
    4. Implementation Gap: Rights and duties succeed only when governments create the institutions, incentives, and enforcement mechanisms needed to support them.
    5. Lesson for the Right to Walk: Pedestrian rights will remain symbolic unless cities build continuous, unobstructed footpaths and protect them from encroachment.

    What Precondition Determines Whether the Right Produces Real Change?

    1. Pedestrian Infrastructure as the Missing Link: Constitutional recognition cannot improve pedestrian safety unless cities build continuous and unobstructed footpaths.
    2. Funding Redirection as the Binding Constraint: The ruling’s success depends on shifting public expenditure towards pedestrian infrastructure rather than treating the judgment as a compensation mechanism.
    3. Risk of Legal Tokenism: If the right remains usable only for post-tragedy compensation claims, it produces no change in pedestrian mobility or safety.
    4. Cultural Internalisation of Right of Way: Pavements must be socially recognised as pedestrian space. Judicial declaration alone cannot alter road-use behaviour.

    What must change for the right to walk to become meaningful?

    1. Dedicated Pedestrian Infrastructure: Cities must invest in continuous and obstruction-free footpaths.
    2. Pedestrian-First Urban Design: Walking must become the foundation of street planning.
    3. Clear Space Allocation: Urban authorities must balance pedestrian access and vendor livelihoods.
    4. Municipal Accountability: Local bodies must be assessed on pedestrian safety outcomes.
    5. Stable Funding: Budget allocations must shift towards non-motorised transport infrastructure.

    Conclusion

    The Supreme Court has expanded constitutional protection for pedestrians, but rights alone cannot create safe streets. India’s challenge is not recognising the right to walk but building the footpaths, governance mechanisms and urban priorities that make that right real. The success of the judgment depends on shifting public investment and administrative attention towards pedestrian infrastructure rather than merely providing legal remedies after accidents.

  • 🔴X-FACTOR CONCLAVE 2026 | 22–25 June | 7 Live Sessions | Registration Mandatory

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  • Abhigyan App and NAFIS

    Why in the news?

    The Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, launched Abhigyan, a mobile application developed by the National Crime Records Bureau that enables police personnel to identify suspects through portable fingerprint scanning linked to the national fingerprint database.

    Abhigyan App

    • Enables police officers to capture fingerprints using portable scanners and smartphones.
    • Connected to the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).
    • Can match fingerprints with national records in about 35 seconds.
    • Features:
      • Real-time identification
      • Mobile access to criminal records
      • Two-factor authentication
      • Field-level policing support

    National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS)

    • Launched in 2022 by NCRB.
    • A centralized biometric database of Criminal suspects, Arrested persons, Convicts, and Prison inmates
    • Contains over 1.3 crore fingerprint records.
    • Facilitates nationwide sharing and matching of fingerprint data.

    Legal Basis

    • Based on the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022.
    • Authorizes collection of biometric measurements including Fingerprints, Palm prints, Iris and retina scans, Photographs, and Biological samples

    Significance

    • Faster identification of repeat offenders and absconders.
    • Strengthens inter-state criminal tracking.
    • Supports crime investigation and law enforcement.
    • Raises concerns regarding Privacy, Data protection, and Scope of biometric collection from individuals not formally accused.

    Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022

    • Replaced the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
    • Expands the categories of persons whose biometric data can be collected.
    • NCRB is designated as the central repository of records.
    • Data may generally be retained for 75 years, subject to prescribed conditions.

    [2018] In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?
    1. Iris scanning
    2. Retinal scanning
    3. Voice recognition
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • Right to Walk on Footpaths Declared a Fundamental Right

    Why in the news?

    The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment authored by Justice P. S. Narasimha, held that the right to walk safely on demarcated and well-maintained footpaths is a Fundamental Right, which takes precedence over the privilege of motorized vehicles.

    Right to Walk as a Fundamental Right

    • Derived from Article 19(1)(d): Right to move freely throughout the territory of India.
    • Also linked with:
      • Article 21: Right to life and personal liberty.
      • Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of expression.
      • Article 19(1)(b): Right to assemble peacefully.
      • Article 19(1)(c): Right to form associations.

    Court’s Observations

    • Walking is the most basic form of human movement and is intrinsically connected to life and dignity.
    • Public spaces cannot become monopolies of motorized vehicles.
    • If a road exists, authorities have an enforceable duty to provide and maintain footpaths.
    • Pedestrian rights must override the convenience of motorized traffic.

    Directions to Government

    • Create a statutory framework recognizing the right to walk.
    • Establish a dedicated regulatory body for:
      • Planning pedestrian infrastructure.
      • Enforcement and monitoring.
      • Providing remedies for violations.
    • Judgment sent to Ministries of:
      • Housing & Urban Affairs
      • Rural Development
      • Road Transport & Highways

    Case Background

    • The ruling arose from the death of a five-year-old child who was run over by a truck while walking to school with his father.
    • The Court awarded compensation exceeding ₹11 lakh.

    [2018] Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement?

    (a) Article 14 and the provisions under the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution.

    (b) Article 17 and the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV.

    (c) Article 21 and the freedoms guaranteed in Part III.

    (d) Article 24 and the provisions under the 44th Amendment to the Constitution.

  • Fundamental Rights

  • Fast X-ray Transients (FXTs)

    Why in the news?

    Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have traced the likely origin of a rare Fast X-ray Transient (FXT) event, EP241107a, detected by the Einstein Probe in November 2024.

    Key Findings

    • FXTs are energetic, non-repeating flashes of X-rays lasting from a few minutes to several hours.
    • They are a recently discovered class of transient cosmic events whose origin has remained uncertain.
    • Researchers identified a radio counterpart of FXT EP241107a using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array.
    • Follow-up observations were conducted using:
      • Himalayan Chandra Telescope
      • GROWTH India Telescope
      • Upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope

    Likely Origin

    • The event was probably caused by: Collapse of a massive star leading to a supernova and gamma-ray burst (GRB), or Merger of two neutron stars.
    • Researchers concluded that EP241107a is most likely an “orphan afterglow”:
      • A gamma-ray-burst-like explosion whose gamma rays were not directly detected.
      • Represents a lower-energy member of the GRB population.

    Fast X-ray Transients (FXTs)

    • Sudden flashes of low-energy X-rays.
    • Non-repeating and short-lived.
    • Fade rapidly after detection.
    • Associated with highly energetic cosmic explosions.

    Proposed Sources

    • Core-collapse supernovae.
    • Binary neutron star mergers.
    • Magnetars (highly magnetized neutron stars).
    • Tidal disruption events involving white dwarfs and black holes.
    • Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs).

    Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs)

    • Most energetic explosions known in the Universe.
    • Emit intense gamma radiation for a few milliseconds to several minutes.
    • Associated with the collapse of massive stars (Long GRBs) and Neutron star mergers (Short GRBs).
    • Followed by multi-wavelength “afterglows” in X-ray, optical, and radio bands.

    Neutron Star

    • Extremely dense remnant of a massive star after a supernova.
    • Mass ≈ 1.4-2 solar masses compressed into a sphere about 20 km across.
    • Composed mainly of neutrons.

    [2023] Consider the following pairs: Objects in space : Description
    1. Cepheids : Giant clouds of dust and gas in space
    2. Nebulae : Stars which brighten and dim periodically
    3. Pulsars : Neutron stars that are formed when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse
    How many of the above pairs are correctly matched ?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] All three

    [D] None

  • India’s First Commercial-Scale Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate Project

    Why in the news?

    The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of India’s first commercial-scale Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate Project at Lakhanpur, Jharsuguda district, Odisha. The project, worth ₹25,016 crore, is a major step towards energy security, import substitution, and industrial self-reliance.

    Coal Gasification

    • A process that converts coal into Synthesis Gas (Syngas), mainly consisting of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂).
    • Syngas can be used to produce Methanol, Urea, Ammonia, Ammonium Nitrate, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), Other chemical feedstocks

    Lakhanpur Project

    • India’s first commercial-scale Coal-to-Ammonium Nitrate facility.
    • Developed by Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited, a joint venture of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited and Coal India Limited.
    • Located on about 350 acres under Mahanadi Coalfields Limited land.
    • Capacity: 2,000 tonnes/day of Ammonium Nitrate.
    • Uses indigenous coal gasification technology developed by BHEL.
    • Receives ₹1,350 crore support under the Coal Ministry’s incentive scheme.

    Significance

    • Reduces dependence on imported natural gas, ammonia, methanol, and chemicals.
    • Supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat and domestic manufacturing.
    • Enhances value addition to India’s vast coal reserves (>400 billion tonnes).
    • Expected to boost downstream chemical and fertilizer industries.

    [2025] Consider the following substances:
    I. Ethanol
    II. Nitroglycerine
    III. Urea
    Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] All the three

    [D] None

  • International Sickle Cell Day 2026

    Why in the news?

    The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, commemorated International Sickle Cell Day at Omkareshwar and highlighted the achievements of the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM).

    National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (2023)

    • Launched to eliminate Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) as a public health problem by 2047.
    • Targets screening of 7 crore people (0-40 years age group) in affected tribal and high-prevalence areas.
    • One of the world’s largest genetic disease screening programmes.
    • So far: Around 2.5 lakh patients identified. Over 20 lakh carriers detected.

    Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

    • A hereditary genetic blood disorder caused by mutation in the haemoglobin gene.
    • Red blood cells become sickle-shaped, reducing oxygen supply.
    • Leads to anaemia, pain episodes, infections, organ damage, and reduced life expectancy.
    • Inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.

    High-Risk Areas in India

    • Predominantly affects tribal populations across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan

    Madhya Pradesh Initiatives

    • Sickle Mitra Initiative: Trains volunteers, NCC cadets, and civil society members for awareness and patient support.
    • Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan (2025): Screened over 4 lakh women for SCD.

    [2023] Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy:
    1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
    2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of child- birth.
    3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
    4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.
    How many of the statements given above are correct?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] Only three

    [D] All four

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