Organ Donation in India
▪ India ranks third globally in organ transplants, as highlighted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
(MoFWH) at the 15th Organ Donation Day in New Delhi.
▪ Legal Framework: The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA) 1994 regulate organ transplants and bans commercial trade.
▪ The 2023 revised guidelines eliminated the upper age limit and the state domicile requirement for deceased donor registration.
▪ National Programme: The National Organ Transplant Programme by the MoFWH promotes organ donation via a nationwide coordination network.
▪ Apex Body: The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, under the MoHFW, establish policies, protocols, and manage the national organ registries.
Initiatives for Organ Transplantation
▪ One Nation One Policy: Launched in 2024 to standardise age limits, domicile criteria and registration fees for organ transplants across states.
▪ Aadhaar-Linked Portal: Introduced in 2023 to facilitate digital donor pledges through Aadhaar-based identity verification.
▪ Angdaan Jan Jagrukta Abhiyan: Started in 2024 to raise public awareness and dispel social myths.
Tamil Nadu in Organ Donation
▪ Recognized as a model state in organ donation and transplantation.
▪ TRANSTAN (Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu) manages a digital and centralised allocation system, ensuring transparency and fairness.
▪ This is the India’s first organ transplantation authority.
Free Bus Travel for Women
▪ The free bus travel scheme for women was first started in Delhi in 2019. This scheme is also
operational in states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Punjab
▪ Following 7 states, from August 15th, it is being implemented in Andhra Pradesh as well.
▪ To reduce environmental pollution, increase social equality, and for economic welfare, the European country Luxembourg made public transport facilities free for everyone in 2020.
