Govt Expands Mental Healthcare Infrastructure Nationwide Under NMHP, Tele MANAS Initiatives

767 districts now covered under District Mental Health Programme; Over 23 lakh tele-mental health calls handled to date

New Delhi | August 1: In a significant push to make mental health services more accessible, the Government of India has undertaken a series of robust measures under the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) to improve care delivery, education, outreach, and awareness across the country. These efforts are aimed at mainstreaming mental wellness and reducing the stigma around psychological disorders.

As of now, the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)—a key component of NMHP—has been sanctioned for implementation in 767 districts, offering services at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels. These include outpatient consultations, counselling, psycho-social interventions, drug support, and outreach initiatives. A 10-bedded inpatient mental health unit is also being provided at the district level.

Tertiary Care, Education, and Human Resource Development

To bolster tertiary mental healthcare and capacity-building, the government has sanctioned 25 Centres of Excellence to increase the intake of postgraduate students in mental health disciplines and expand treatment capabilities. Additionally, 47 PG departments have been strengthened across 19 medical institutions nationwide.

As per data from the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI):

• 69 institutions currently offer Clinical Psychology courses including M.Phil., Psy.D., and Diplomas.
• 9 institutions offer Rehabilitation Psychology programmes.
• New degree programmes like B.Sc. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology have been launched from the academic year 2024–25.

To address manpower shortages, Digital Academies are delivering online training to general healthcare professionals in mental health, further strengthening last-mile service availability.

Massive Uptake of Tele Mental Health Services

Launched in October 2022, the National Tele Mental Health Programme—popularly known as Tele MANAS—has witnessed rapid adoption. As of July 17, 2025:

• 36 States/UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells.
• The helpline has handled over 23.82 lakh calls from individuals seeking mental health support.
• A Tele MANAS mobile app and video consultation services were launched on World Mental Health Day 2024, enhancing access and user experience.

Integration with Ayushman Bharat

The government has upgraded over 1.77 lakh Sub-Health Centres and PHCs into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, where mental health services are now part of the primary care service package. Operational guidelines and training manuals for handling mental, neurological, and substance use disorders (MNS) at the primary level have been released under Ayushman Bharat.

Focus on Awareness, Suicide Prevention, and Youth Well-being

The DMHP also includes:

• Counselling services in schools and colleges
• Workplace stress management
• Life skills education
• Suicide prevention services
• Community-based Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities

These measures aim to normalize mental health conversations, build resilience, and remove stigma associated with mental illness.

The details were shared by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.