New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) In a bid to boost accessibility and inclusivity, the Union government on Friday launched several new initiatives for the National Tele-Mental Health Programme (NTMHP), commonly known as Tele MANAS, including enhancing the app’s features to make it easier for visually impaired users.

The new initiatives, launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda on the occasion of World Mental Health Day 2025, include enhancements such as a multi-lingual user interface, a chatbot, accessibility, and an emergency module to the Tele MANAS app.

“Recognising that persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups face barriers in accessing digital health services, the app now includes accessibility features to make the interface more user-friendly for visually impaired users,” the Health Ministry said.

A chatbot feature (‘Asmi’) has been introduced, allowing users to engage with the app and seek information or help regarding mental health. Furthermore, emergency response content has been incorporated to ensure timely guidance and support during emergencies.

In addition to English and Hindi, the Tele MANAS app will now be available in 10 regional languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, and Punjabi, the Ministry said.

“A sound mind leads to a sound body, and a healthy mind and a healthy body lead to a healthy nation. India is committed to ensuring equitable, affordable, and inclusive access to mental health services,” said Nadda, during the launch.

“With the launch of the new features in the Tele-MANAS app, we are strengthening our preparedness to respond effectively to mental health emergencies and expanding the reach of digital innovations to every corner of the country. Moving a step closer towards normalising discussions around mental health is crucial to reducing stigma and highlighting mental health as an integral aspect of public health in India,” he added.

Prof. T K Srikanth, Principal Investigator, Tele MANAS, International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIT-B), highlighted that the enhancements made to the mental health app will enable a seamless flow of information.

“Data security and privacy are built into the system, and the modular design of the app will ensure that new features can be easily added over time,” Srikanth added.

Meanwhile, the government also designated Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as the mental health ambassador for raising awareness about access to mental health services.

“The partnership with Deepika Padukone will help widely disseminate awareness about mental health issues in India, normalise discussions to reduce stigma, and highlight mental health as an integral aspect of public health,” Nadda stated.

Since its inception, Tele MANAS has handled around 28 lakh calls, with trained counsellors engaging in more than 20 different languages.

“Every day, about 4,000 people reach out for support, showing the effectiveness of the service in addressing mental health concerns. The almost equal number of men and women seeking help demonstrates that awareness is growing among all groups,” Nadda said.

–IANS

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