The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has said funds were granted under the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) for targeted interventions to enable class teachers with a system of referral for students with psychological problems to the District Mental Health Team, for inputs and treatment.
In a written reply to a question on the rate of deaths by suicides among youth from DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the National Crime Records Bureau compiles and publishes data on suicides in its publication “Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India”, but does not publish separate data on rate of deaths by suicides among women and youth.
Family issues, extra-marital affairs, love affairs, marriage-related issues, divorce, illness, poverty, indebtedness and property disputes were among the various causes for suicides, he said. To address mental disorders, the Government of India was supporting the implementation of DMHP under the National Mental Health Programme in 704 districts across the country. Support was provided to States and Union Territories through the National Health Mission, he added.
Objectives of the DMHP include providing suicide prevention services, workplace stress management, life skills training, counselling in schools and colleges, mental health services including prevention, promotion and long-term continuing care at different levels of district healthcare delivery system, and augmenting institutional capacity in infrastructure, equipment and human resource for mental healthcare, he said.
Stakeholders involved
He added that funds were provided to each district supported under DMHP for targeted interventions, which included involving other stakeholders such as parents and community leaders to enhance the development of adolescents.
Published - August 04, 2022 11:22 pm IST
