New Delhi, Dec 13 (LatestNewsX) – Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, announced that the National Tele Mental Health Programme’s 53 Tele MANAS Cells have handled more than 29.82 lakh calls to date. She underscored the government’s resolve to curb the stress and mental strain faced by women across all sectors.
The programme was launched on 10 Oct 2022 to widen access to quality mental‑health counselling and care nationwide. By 27 Nov 2025, 36 states and union territories had established the 53 Tele MANAS Cells, which now offer services in 20 languages tailored to each state’s preferences.
During a Lok Sabha session on Friday, Ms Thakur confirmed that the helpline number has received over 29 lakhs of calls. To tackle the mental‑health burden, the Central Government is also rolling out the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP). Its District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component has been approved for 767 districts, with support coming through the National Health Mission.
At community and primary health centres, DMHP provisions include outpatient care, assessments, psycho‑social counselling, ongoing support for those with severe mental disorders, medicines, outreach teams, and ambulance services, according to the Minister.
The Ministry also highlighted its top‑priority focus on women’s safety and the measures it has taken in collaboration with state and union‑territory administrations. These initiatives comprise the Women Helpline‑181, Child Helpline‑1098, and Emergency Response Support System (ERSS‑112), as well as the Zero FIR and e‑FIR concepts under the new criminal laws and dedicated institutional support for survivors.
The Mental Health Care Act, 2017 sets out a framework for mental‑health care and services, safeguards the rights of those receiving care, decriminalises suicide attempts, and establishes regulation and oversight of mental‑health facilities to ensure higher quality service delivery.
Recognising that gender‑based violence, harassment and insecurity are key contributors to psychological trauma and chronic stress among women, the government has put in place multiple mechanisms for immediate protection, comprehensive support and long‑term rehabilitation. These integrated services, delivered under one roof, provide medical aid, legal assistance, temporary shelter, police help and psycho‑social counselling to women in distress.
Currently, 864 Women’s Protection Centres (OSCs) are operational across the country, and by 30 Sep 2025, more than 12.67 lakh women have benefited from these services.
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