Update on NPCBVI

**Policy Summary: Update on National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI)** **Issuing Authority:** Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India **Date of Release:** March 23, 2026 **Release ID:** 2243765 **Overview** The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released an update regarding the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), highlighting the expansion of eye care infrastructure and the steady growth in cornea collection across India. The update was provided by the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. **Key Metrics and Statistics** * **Functional Eye Banks:** There are currently 396 functional eye banks across various States and Union Territories. * **Cornea Collection Trends:** Cornea collection has shown consistent annual growth over the following periods: * **2022-23:** 62,370 collections * **2023-24:** 66,434 collections * **2024-25:** 69,848 collections **Program Initiatives and Support** The NPCBVI focuses on strengthening eye banking and cornea transplant services through several key interventions: * **Financial Assistance:** Funding is provided for infrastructure development and the procurement of necessary medical equipment. * **Capacity Building:** The programme supports the specialized training of ophthalmologists and eye bank technicians. * **Operational Support:** Activities include the promotion of eye donation and the provision of free cornea storage medium to government-operated eye banks nationwide.

Key Entities Referenced