The Government of India launched a “National Tele Mental Health Programme” (NTMHP) on 10^th October, 2022, that functions as the digital arm of the District Mental Health Programme to provide universal access to equitable, accessible, affordable and quality mental health care through 24x7 tele-mental health counselling services. For this, a toll-free number (14416) has been set up across the country.

Specific objectives of the Programme are:

• To exponentially scale up the reach of mental health services to anybody who reaches out, across India, any time, by setting up a 24x7 tele-mental health facility in each of the States and UTs of the country.
• To implement a full-fledged mental health service network that, in addition to counselling, provides integrated medical and psychosocial interventions.
• To extend services to vulnerable groups of the population and difficult to reach populations.

As on 1^st April 2025, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells. Tele-MANAS services are available in 20 languages based on language opted by States. More than 20,05,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.

The Government has launched Tele MANAS Mobile Application on World Mental Health Day i.e. 10^th October, 2024. Tele-MANAS Mobile Application is a comprehensive mobile platform that has been developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging from well-being to mental disorders.

Over Rs. 230 crore have been allocated by the government for NTMHP in last three years.

The Government has established a dedicated Tele-MANAS Cell at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune to extend tele-mental health assistance and support to all Armed Forces service personnel and their dependents, further enhancing the mental health care services available to them.     

The Government is also taking steps to integrate mental healthcare services at primary healthcare level. The Government has upgraded more than 1.75 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been added in the package of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) is implemented under the National Mental Health Programme in 767 districts of the country to detect, manage and treat mental illness at District Hospitals. Facilities are also made available under DMHP at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels and include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services etc.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

****

MV

HFW/Update on NTMHP/04 April 2025/2