Content :

• From Zero-Dose to Zero-Gap: India’s Vaccine Revolution
• India Energy Stack: Transforming Power Through Digital Innovation

From Zero-Dose to Zero-Gap: India’s Vaccine Revolution

Zero-Dose Children & Global Recognition

• Zero-dose children (those receiving no vaccine at all) declined from 0.11% (2023) to 0.06% (2024) of total population.
• India acknowledged as a global exemplar in child health by UN IGME 2024.
• Awarded the Measles and Rubella Champion Award (March 2024) for immunization achievements.

Relevance : GS 2( Health , Governance ,Social Issues)

Maternal & Child Mortality Reduction

• MMR declined to 80 per lakh live births (UN-MMEIG), an 86% drop since 1990, compared to 48% globally.
• Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) fell 78% (vs. 61% globally).
• Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) declined 70% (vs. 54% globally).

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)

• Covers 12 vaccine-preventable diseases (vs. 6 before 2014).
• Annual coverage: 2.9 crore pregnant women & 2.6 crore infants.
• 1.3+ crore immunization sessions held annually by ASHAs/ANMs.
• Tech integration: U-WIN digital platform tracks immunization status.

Key Campaigns & Achievements

• Zero Dose Implementation Plan 2024: Rolled out in 143 districts across 11 states.
• Mission Indradhanush: Since 2014, vaccinated 5.46 crore children & 1.32 crore pregnant women.
• Pulse Polio Campaigns: Maintained polio-free status since 2014.
• Measles-Rubella Campaign 2025 launched for disease elimination.
• Maternal & Neonatal Tetanus eliminated by 2015.

Antigen-wise Coverage & Global Comparison

• India’s DTP-1 coverage: 93%, higher than Nigeria (70%), Pakistan (84%).
• Dropout rate from DTP-1 to DTP-3 reduced from 7% (2013) to 2% (2023).
• DTP-1 and DTP-3 refer to the first and third doses of the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis vaccine given to infants under the Universal Immunization Programme;
• Measles coverage improved from 83% (2013) to 93% (2023).
• India’s immunization rates are comparable or superior to high-income countries like Germany, Finland, and Sweden.

Community Engagement & Governance

• Use of mass media, street plays, and community radio to fight vaccine hesitancy.
• Multi-tiered task forces (STFI, DTFI, BTFI) for program monitoring.
• VHNDs (Village Health and Nutrition Days) for outreach and awareness.

Contextualizing India’s Progress

• India’s birth cohort of 2.6 crore exceeds total population of many developed countries.(Birth cohort refers to the total number of babies born in a year)
• Zero-dose % far lower than Yemen (1.68%), Nigeria (0.98%), Pakistan (0.16%).
• India’s high population size and strong delivery systems are crucial to fair comparisons.

Conclusion

• India’s immunization success is a result of sustained policy priority, grassroots outreach, and data-driven strategies.
• It stands as a model for large-scale public health delivery, especially in low-resource and high-population settings.

India Energy Stack: Transforming Power Through Digital Innovation

What is India Energy Stack (IES)?

• A proposed Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the power sector, akin to Aadhaar (identity) and UPI (payments).
• Aims to build a unified, secure, and interoperable digital backbone for India’s electricity ecosystem.
• Will standardize and streamline data and services across generation, distribution, consumption, and policy planning.

Relevance : GS 3(Energy) ,GS 2(Governance)

Why Now? – Context & Need

• India’s power sector is undergoing a paradigm shift due to:
  • Rapid growth in renewable energy and electric vehicles.
  • Increasing consumer participation in energy markets.
  • Demand for grid stability, real-time data, and decentralized management.
• Current system is fragmented, lacks integration, and is digitally siloed.

Key Features of India Energy Stack

• Unique IDs for consumers, assets, and energy transactions.
• Real-time, consent-based data sharing for transparency and privacy.
• Open APIs to ensure system interoperability and innovation.
• Consumer tools to enable energy choice, billing transparency, and market participation.

Strategic Benefits

• DISCOM efficiency: Supports analytics, reduces loss, improves billing and services.
• Renewable energy integration: Enables smart grid operations and distributed energy management.
• Consumer empowerment: Ensures accessible, informed, and participatory energy use.
• Future-ready power services: Prepares infrastructure for smart homes, EVs, and AI-driven energy management.

Implementation Plan

• A 12-month Proof of Concept (PoC) to be conducted with select DISCOMs.
  • Includes piloting of Utility Intelligence Platform (UIP) – a modular analytics tool built on IES.
• Initial pilot in Mumbai, Gujarat, and Delhi.
• Development of an India Energy Stack White Paper for public consultation.
• A national rollout roadmap will follow based on pilot learnings.

Governance & Collaboration

• A dedicated Task Force formed by the Ministry of Power:
  • Includes experts from tech, energy, and regulatory fields.
  • Will guide design, implementation, scaling, and monitoring of IES.

Conclusion

• India Energy Stack is a transformative step to digitize and democratize the power sector.
• Positions India to lead globally in energy-tech integration, improve sustainability, and empower consumers.
• Aligns with India’s $5 trillion economy goal and Net Zero commitments.