TELE MANAS INITIATIVE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

News-CRUX-10     30th May 2024        
QEP Pocket Notes

Context: The National Tele Mental Health Programme Tele-MANAS Helpline received over 10 lakh calls since its launch in October 2022.


Tele MANAS initiative

  • About: It stands for Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across the States.
  • To provide universal access to equitable, accessible, affordable and quality mental health care through 24X7 tele-mental health services as across all Indian States and UTs with assured linkages.

o Digital component of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP). 

  • Launched in: Union budget 2022-23.
  • Nodal ministry: Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
  • Objective:

o 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.

o To implement a full-fledged mental health-service network that, in addition to counselling, provides integrated medical and psychosocial interventions including video consultations with mental health specialists, e-prescriptions, follow-up services and linkages to in-person services.

o To extend services to vulnerable groups of the population and difficult to reach populations

  • Over 42 functional Tele MANAS Cells across 31 States and UTs, the service is currently catering to 1,300+ calls per day in 20 languages.
  • The Government of India has launched the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in 1982.
  • World Mental Health Day: 10 October.

QEP Pocket Notes