Despite a burgeoning mental health crisis, India has seen significant underspending of funds meant for central and state mental health programmes over the past five years, with government data showing states and Union territories spent around 50 percent of allocated funds. According to data presented in Lok Sabha on Friday by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pratap Rao Jadhav, in five years between 2020-21 and 2024-25, states and Union territories spent Rs 328.27 crore out of Rs 691.24 crore approved under the District Mental Health Programmes (DMHPs), about 47.5 percent of the total allocation.

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