For the first time, the Economic Survey 2023-24 tabled by the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament, talks extensively about mental health, its significance and implications on policy recommendations.

Acknowledging mental health as a principally impactful driver of individual and national development, the Survey notes that as per the National Mental Health Survey 2015-16, 10.6 per cent of adults in India suffered from mental disorders while the treatment gap for mental disorders ranged between 70 per cent and 92 per cent for different disorders. Further, the prevalence of mental morbidity was higher in urban metro regions i.e. 13.5 per cent, as compared to rural areas i.e. 6.9 per cent, and urban non-metro areas i.e. 4.3 per cent.

Citing NCERT’s Mental Health and Well-being of School Students Survey, it highlights an increasing prevalence of poor mental health among adolescents exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 11 per cent of students reported as feeling anxious, 14 per cent as feeling extreme emotion and 43 per cent experiencing mood swings.

The Survey points out that at an aggregate economic level, mental health disorders are associated with significant productivity losses due to absenteeism, decreased productivity, disability, increased healthcare costs, etc. There is also evidence of poverty affecting the risk of mental health via stressful living conditions, financial instability, and a lack of opportunities for upward mobility, which contribute to heightened psychological distress.

Recognizing mental health as a fundamental aspect of overall well-being, the Survey underscores key initiatives and policies taken by the Government in this regard.

Under the District Mental Health Programme of the National Mental Health Programme, more than 1.73 lakh Sub Health Centres, Primary Health Centres, Urban PHCs and Urban Health and Wellness Centres were upgraded to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs providing mental health services.

With over 1600 trained counsellors in over 20 languages, 53 Tele MANAS cells were set up in 34 states and more than 8.07 lakh calls handled since Oct 2022, as of 31 March 2024 under the National Tele Mental Health Programme.

Approximately 25 Centres of Excellence were sanctioned to increase PG students’ intake, support was provided to 19 Government medical colleges or institutions to strengthen 47 PG Departments, mental health services were provisioned for 22 AIIMS, and three Digital Academies provided online training courses to general healthcare medical and paramedical professionals set up.

Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics and Peer education programmes were conducted nationwide under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram.

In addition to national initiatives, the Survey highlights unique, independent initiatives implemented at the state level. These state-level initiatives, the Survey states, complement national efforts in addressing mental health and well-being among children and adolescents.

The Survey stresses proper implementation to accelerate the improvements made in mental healthcare on the ground and address gaps in the existing programmes to maximize their effectiveness.