On April 14, 2021, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India (GoI) Professor K Vijay Raghavan virtually launched the ‘MANAS’ App (Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System) to promote the Mental well-being of Indian Citizens.
- It is an initiative of the Office of the PSA to GoI.
- MANAS has been jointly executed by NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences) Bengaluru, AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College) Pune & C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), Bengaluru.
- It was endorsed as a national program by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
MANAS
- It is a comprehensive national digital wellbeing platform that is based on life skills and core psychological processes.
- MANAS is an integration of the health and wellness efforts of various government ministries, scientifically validated indigenous tools & interfaces which have been developed by national bodies & research institutions.
- Initially, it will focus on promoting positive mental health in the age group of 15-35 years.
Future Integrations
- In the future, the app may be integrated with public health schemes like National Health Mission (NHM), Poshan Abhiyan, e-Sanjeevani and others.
Budget Allocation for Mental Health
- The National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) was allocated INR 40 Crore in Union compared to INR 500 Crores allocated to NIMHANS, Bangalore in Union Budget FY 2021-22.
- The budget of INR 40 Crore for NMHP will leave India unprepared and unable to deal with the requirements of the populations, especially with the added mental health impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent Related News:
i.September 7, 2020, Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment launched a 24×7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline “KIRAN” (1800-500-0019) to provide relief and support to persons with Mental Illness. The Helpline has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
About Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA):
It is the chief advisor to the Government on matters related to scientific policy.
PSA – Professor K. VijayRaghavan
