State PCS - West Bengal (WBCS)

• 24 Mar 2026

Mamata Banerjee Launched ‘10 Protigya’ in West Bengal

Why in News?

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has unveiled a comprehensive ‘10 Protigya’ (10 pledges) roadmap as part of TMC’s manifesto for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.

Key Points

• Launch of ‘10 Protigya’: Mamata Banerjee formally unveiled 10 pledges covering welfare, infrastructure, education, employment, healthcare, and economic growth as part of the TMC manifesto.
• Expansion of Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme: Monthly assistance to women will be enhanced (by ₹500):
  • ₹1,500 per month for women from the General category.
  • ₹1,700 per month for women from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• Banglar Yuba-Sathi Scheme: Financial assistance of ₹1,500 per month will be continued to unemployed youth to support livelihood and job search.
• Strengthening Agriculture: A Rs 30,000 crore agri-budget has been proposed to support farm families, landless farmers and overall sector growth.
• Housing: Commitment to provide pucca houses.
• Piped drinking water to all households across the state.
• Duare Chikitsa Healthcare Initiative: Expansion of healthcare outreach camps in every block and town to improve access to medical services.
• Education Infrastructure Upgrade: Government schools will be upgraded under the Banglar Shikshayatan initiative to strengthen educational infrastructure and quality.
• Expansion of Social Security: Continued coverage of old-age pension and social security benefits for elderly and vulnerable citizens.
• Trade and Economic Development: Plans to develop West Bengal as a major trade and logistics gateway for Eastern India, boosting industry and investment.
• Administrative Reorganisation: Proposal to create seven new districts and expand urban local bodies to improve governance and service delivery.

World TB Day 2026

Why in News?

World TB Day is observed on 24th March 2026 to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and to strengthen global efforts to eliminate the disease. 

Key Points

• Historical Background: World TB Day is observed annually on 24 March to commemorate the discovery of the tuberculosis bacterium by Robert Koch in 1882, which enabled the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
• Theme 2026: “Yes! We Can End TB: Led by countries, powered by people.”
• Global Burden: Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s leading infectious diseases. 
  • In 2024, around 10.7 million people fell ill with TB and about 1.23 million deaths were reported globally.
• About Tuberculosis (TB):
  • Causative Agent: Tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which mainly affects the lungs but can also damage other organs.
  • Transmission: TB spreads through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, making early diagnosis and treatment critical.
  • High-Burden Countries: Countries such as India, Indonesia, China, Philippines, and Pakistan account for a large share of global TB cases.
  • Prevention and Treatment: TB is preventable and curable with early diagnosis, antibiotic treatment, vaccination (BCG vaccine), and improved public health systems.
    • Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is caused by bacteria resistant to key first-line drugs like rifampicin and isoniazid. MDR-TB can still be treated with alternative drugs, though these are costlier and have more side effects. 
    • In severe cases, extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) develops, leaving very limited treatment options. 
    • WHO recommends shorter 6-month all-oral regimens (BPaLM/BPaL) for eligible patients (including for MDR-TB patients), which are more effective and reduce treatment burden.
• Global Strategy: WHO’s End TB Strategy aims to reduce TB deaths by 95% and TB incidence by 90% by 2035 compared with 2015 levels.
  • The World Health Organization and the Stop TB Partnership lead international campaigns and programs to control and eliminate tuberculosis.
  • SDGs: Ending TB is part of Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to eliminate the TB epidemic by 2030.
• India Initiatives:
  • Nikshay Portal: A digital platform for tracking TB patients, treatment, and case management across the country.
  • Nikshay Poshan Yojana: Provides ₹500 per month nutritional support to TB patients during treatment.
  • Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: A national initiative launched to accelerate India’s goal of TB elimination by 2025 (not yet fully eliminated).

Read More: WHO, SDGs