Budget mindful of mental wellness

As India makes gains in tackling non-communicable diseases, the Budget has proposed a holistic approach to address rising mental health disorders and growing healthcare needs of the nation's ageing population.

The Budget proposes to set up NIMHANS-2, addressing the absence of a national mental health institute in north India, and upgrade National Mental Health Institutes in Ranchi and Tezpur as regional apex institutions.




It plans to expand capacity of emergency and trauma care centres in district hospitals by 50% to reduce sudden out-of-pocket expenses for vulnerable families.

National surveys show 10.6% of Indian adults suffer from mental disorders, with urban areas affected more severely. Studies estimate that 70% to 92% of patients receive no proper treatment due to social stigma, low awareness and acute manpower shortage in healthcare. As per Indian Journal of Psychiatry, India has just 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, far below the WHO norm of 3.

"Expanding NIMHANS-like centres can improve access and reduce regional gaps, but sustained funding and trained manpower will be crucial for real impact," said Hope Care India director Deepak Raheja.

A Rs 980-crore phased outlay over three years has been proposed to expand education for allied and healthcare professionals.

Budget includes setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda, upgrading AYUSH pharmacies and drug-testing laboratories, and support for five regional medical hubs in partnership with the private sector.