Dr. Jyoti Kapoor, Founder & Director, Manasthali Wellness, said,  “It’s an extremely commendable step taken by the government for taking cognisance of mental health issues in every budget session from the last couple of years. It indicates a gradual transition in the Indian health ecosystem from the traditional focus on physical health to mental health. But, one of the major expectations is a proportional increase in the budget allocation for mental health programs. From the last couple of years, the total budget allocation towards the National mental health programme (NMHP) has remained unchanged at Rs 40 crores. Besides the apex institutes like AIIMS, NIMHANS and PGI, a more balanced budget should be allocated to peripheral centres and medical colleges for the better management of the complexity and diversity of mental health needs.”