Officers Assigned to States and Union Territories to Strengthen TB Detection, Treatment, Nutrition Support and Community Participation
New Delhi : The Government of India has appointed Joint Secretary-level officers as State Prabhari Officers to strengthen the implementation of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan across States and Union Territories.
The order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on August 7, 2026, following directions issued during the PRAGATI meeting held on June 24, 2026. The move is aimed at strengthening coordination between the Central Government and State administrations and accelerating efforts toward tuberculosis elimination.
Prabhari Officers to Act as Nodal Link Between Centre and States
The newly appointed Prabhari Officers will serve as a key coordination mechanism between the Union Government and their respective States or Union Territories.
Their responsibilities will include monitoring the implementation of TB-related programmes at the grassroots level and identifying areas requiring faster intervention.
The officers will particularly focus on:
- TB screening and case detection
- Treatment coverage and adherence
- Nutrition support for TB patients
- Strengthening block-level Nodal Officers
- Ensuring effective functioning of TB Mukt Bharat Teams
- Conducting field visits in high-burden areas
- Coordinating with Chief Secretaries and State Health Departments
- Encouraging community participation
- Promoting support through the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative
Focus on High-Burden Areas
A major responsibility of the Prabhari Officers will be to undertake field-level monitoring, particularly in districts and regions reporting a high burden of tuberculosis.
Through regular visits and coordination with state authorities, the officers will assess whether TB patients are being identified promptly, receiving appropriate treatment, and getting necessary nutritional and social support.
The mechanism is also expected to help identify implementation gaps and facilitate timely corrective action.
Community Participation to Receive Greater Attention
The government has also emphasised strengthening community participation in the fight against tuberculosis.
The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative is an important component of this approach, encouraging individuals, organisations and institutions to support TB patients with nutritional and other forms of assistance during their treatment journey.
Prabhari Officers will work with state administrations to encourage greater participation from communities, civil society organisations, private-sector stakeholders and other partners.
State-Wise Allocation of Prabhari Officers
The government has released a list of officers along with the States and Union Territories assigned to them. Some of the appointments include:
| Officer | Assigned State/UT |
|---|---|
| G Venkatesh | Puducherry |
| Gopal Singh | Bihar |
| Nishtha Upadhyay | Delhi |
| Petal Dhillon | Punjab |
| Neha Bansal | Haryana |
| Preeti Meena | Telangana |
| Laya Madduri | Andhra Pradesh |
| Hanish Chhabra | Odisha |
| Praveen Nair | Tamil Nadu |
| Udit Agrawal | Gujarat |
| K Balaji | Uttar Pradesh |
| Suvasish Das | Assam |
The complete list of Joint Secretary-level officers and their respective States/UTs has been issued through the official DoPT order.
Strengthening Centre-State Coordination
The appointment of dedicated Prabhari Officers is expected to create a more structured mechanism for Centre-State coordination, enabling the Union Government to closely monitor the progress of TB elimination initiatives across the country.
The officers will coordinate with senior state officials, including Chief Secretaries and State Health Departments, to review programme implementation and address operational challenges.
Push Towards a TB-Free India
Tuberculosis remains an important public health challenge in India, making early diagnosis, uninterrupted treatment, nutrition support and community involvement critical to achieving national TB elimination goals.
The appointment of State Prabhari Officers represents another step toward strengthening India’s institutional framework for the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. By combining high-level administrative monitoring, field-level intervention, state coordination, and community participation, the government aims to accelerate progress toward a TB-free India.
