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India has launched a domestically developed CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell anaemia, aiming for elimination of the disease by 2047.
The Centre warned against excessive chemical fertiliser use, citing soil degradation and water pollution, while promoting balanced nutrient management.
Front-of-pack nutrition labelling is under review to help consumers make healthier food choices, with a draft regulation already issued.
Rising lung cancer cases among non-smoking women have been linked to air pollution, with expanded screening and treatment measures underway.
The government flagged health risks from ultra-processed foods, advanced green steel initiatives, and outlined relief mechanisms for crop damage from unseasonal rains.
India in November 2025 launched a domestically developed CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based therapy, BIRSA-101, to provide an affordable cure for sickle cell anaemia, a hereditary blood disorder prevalent in tribal and rural regions, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union minister for health and family welfare, told the Lok Sabha.
Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, screening is being conducted across health centres for early identification, treatment and counselling, with the aim of achieving a “Sickle Cell-Free India by 2047”.
The government is in the process of finalising a front-of-pack nutrition labelling policy to clearly display levels of sugar, salt and fat on packaged foods, Prataprao Jadhav, Union minister of state for health and family welfare, told the Lok Sabha. A draft regulation was issued in 2022 for comments of stakeholders, and studies on nutrient thresholds and consumer behaviour have been conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. An expert committee has submitted its report to the Supreme Court, and the matter is under consideration, the minister said.
An Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research study found adenocarcinoma to be the most common form of lung cancer among women and non smokers, and noted rising lung cancer incidence in metropolitan cities, though the study did not quantify air pollution exposure, Jadhav told the Lok Sabha.
Under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, suspected lung cancer cases identified during TB screening are referred for specialised care, while cancer patients are prioritised for TB screening. The Centre is also supporting tertiary cancer facilities nationwide and highlighted the National Clean Air Programme to address urban air pollution, the minister said.
The growing consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are typically high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, poses significant public-health risks, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, Jadhav told the Lok Sabha.
According to ICMR, the Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 classify ultra-processed foods as items that should be limited as unhealthy diets driven by such foods add significantly to India’s disease burden. However, the guidelines do not mention a reported rise in ultra-processed food sales between 2006 and 2019. Existing food labelling rules already require key information to be displayed on the front of packaged foods to help consumers make informed choices, the minister stated.
Imbalanced and excessive use of chemical fertilisers can degrade soil health, reduce nutrient availability and contaminate water sources through excess nitrogen and phosphorus, Anupriya Patel, Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers, told the Lok Sabha. To address this, the Centre is promoting integrated nutrient management, organic and green manures, biofertilisers and soil testing through the Soil Health Card Scheme, alongside expanding domestic fertiliser production to reduce import dependence,
The government is promoting low-carbon steel manufacturing as part of India’s net-zero target for 2070, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Union minister of state for steel, told the Rajya Sabha. A national Green Steel Taxonomy has been introduced, and 43 private steel units have received green steel certification. Four pilot projects using hydrogen in steelmaking have been approved under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, alongside the release of a roadmap titled Greening the Steel Sector in India.
State governments are responsible for assessing crop damage caused by unseasonal rains and floods and providing relief through the State Disaster Response Fund, with additional assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund considered only in ‘severe’ cases, Ramnath Thakur, Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers’ welfare, told the Rajya Sabha. Andhra Pradesh reported crop damage across more than 150,000 hectares in 2025, while losses in Gujarat and Jharkhand were minimal. Data on enrolment and payouts under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana for Kharif 2025 were also shared.