NPCBVI Update: 396 Eye Banks Operational and Cornea Collections Rise to 69,848 (2024-25) — UPSC Current Affairs | March 23, 2026
NPCBVI Update: 396 Eye Banks Operational and Cornea Collections Rise to 69,848 (2024-25)
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported that 396 eye banks are now functional across India, with cornea collections rising to 69,848 in 2024‑25 under the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI). The data underscores the government's ongoing investment in eye‑bank infrastructure, training, and donation promotion, a key health‑sector initiative relevant for UPSC aspirants.
Overview of the NPCBVI Update The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released the latest figures on eye banking under the NPCBVI . The data, presented in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav , highlights steady growth in infrastructure and tissue collection across the country. Key Developments (2022‑25) Number of functional eye banks rose to 396 nationwide. Annual cornea collections increased from 62,370 (2022‑23) to 66,434 (2023‑24) and further to 69,848 (2024‑25) . Financial assistance under NPCBVI continues for infrastructure, equipment, and training of ophthalmologists and eye‑bank technicians. Free supply of cornea storage medium to government eye banks has been reinforced. Important Facts The programme’s core components include: Infrastructure development: Grants for building or upgrading eye‑bank facilities. Equipment procurement: Microscopes, cryopreservation units, and transport kits. Human resource capacity building: Training modules for ophthalmologists and technicians. Awareness & donation promotion: Campaigns to increase voluntary eye donation. UPSC Relevance Understanding the NPCBVI framework is vital for GS 1 (Health & Social Issues) and GS 2 (Polity) as it illustrates: How central schemes are implemented through state cooperation. The role of public‑private partnerships in health infrastructure. Policy‑driven approaches to address preventable blindness, a key social indicator. Budgetary allocations and monitoring mechanisms for health‑related programmes. Way Forward To sustain the upward trend, the following steps are recommended: Expand eye‑bank coverage in underserved regions, especially in the North‑East and tribal districts. Strengthen community‑level awareness to boost voluntary eye donation. Integrate eye‑bank data with the National Health Mission’s digital health platform for real‑time monitoring. Encourage research on advanced corneal preservation techniques to increase graft success rates. Continued focus on these areas will help India move closer to the WHO’s target of eliminating avoidable blindness by 2030.
Functional eye banks increased to 396 across India as of 2024‑25.
Cornea collections rose from 62,370 (2022‑23) to 69,848 (2024‑25), a 12% increase.
NPCBVI is a centrally sponsored scheme under MoHFW aimed at reducing blindness via eye banking, corneal transplantation, and awareness.
Financial assistance under NPCBVI covers infrastructure grants, equipment procurement, and training of ophthalmologists and eye‑bank technicians.
Free cornea storage medium is supplied to all government eye banks, enhancing tissue viability.
NPCBVI aligns with WHO’s target of eliminating avoidable blindness by 2030.
Implementation involves state health departments and public‑private partnerships, monitored through the National Health Mission’s digital platform.
Background & Context
The National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) operationalises the government's commitment to reduce preventable blindness, a key health indicator under GS‑1. It exemplifies inter‑governmental coordination, fiscal federalism, and the use of centrally sponsored schemes to strengthen health infrastructure, linking to broader themes of governance, public‑private partnership, and Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well‑being).
UPSC Syllabus Connections
Essay•Economy, Development and InequalityGS2•Functions and responsibilities of Union and States
Mains Answer Angle
In GS‑3, candidates can discuss NPCBVI as a model for leveraging central schemes to address health inequities, focusing on infrastructure, capacity building, and outcome‑based monitoring. A possible question may ask to evaluate the effectiveness of centrally sponsored health programmes in achieving universal eye health.