CHANDIGARH: A serious health condition does not only affect a person’s wellbeing; it can place an enormous emotional and financial burden on an entire family. When the illness is related to mental health, stigma, lack of awareness and concerns over treatment costs can create additional barriers, often delaying the decision to seek professional help.
Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) is helping address one part of that challenge by making covered mental-health treatment financially accessible. Data from the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, as of August 11, 2026, shows that in the available seven-month period, 709
Beneficiaries received mental-health treatment under the scheme, involving treatment worth ₹83.36 lakh
The age profile provides a particularly significant insight. 284 beneficiaries treated cashless under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana were aged 31–45, while 249 were aged 18–30. Together, these two groups account for 533 beneficiaries, or 75.2 per cent of the total.
On this, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said, “Mental healthcare should not become a luxury that a family seeks only when it can afford it. If someone needs professional help, the focus should be on getting that person the right care at the right time.”
The SHA data also shows that Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is addressing a range of mental-health conditions, including neurotic and stress-related disorders, mood and affective disorders, behavioural syndromes associated with physiological and physical factors, and mental and behavioural disorders linked to psychoactive substance use.
Dr Gagandeep Sekhon, MD Psychiatry, Consultant Psychiatrist, Civil Hospital Barnala, said, “The 18–45 age group is particularly important from a mental-health perspective because this is the phase when people are building careers, managing relationships, raising families and handling significant financial responsibilities.”
The Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana data included psychoactive substance-use disorders and mood disorders, which points to the importance of early awareness, timely intervention and accessible treatment pathways for young people. At the same time, prevention and healthy living can complement clinical treatment.
Minister Dr Balbir Singh shared, “The Bhagwant Mann-led government has been working towards making healthcare more accessible and affordable for every family in Punjab, with special attention to the health and wellbeing of our youth. With a ₹10 lakh cashless cover per family per year, and mental healthcare also covered under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, the scheme helps remove the financial hesitation many people face when seeking treatment for mental-health conditions. Alongside this, ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ strengthens prevention, de-addiction and rehabilitation, while CM Di Yogshala promotes accessible wellness practices.”
Together, The Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Yudh Nashean Virudh and CM Di Yogshala represent complementary parts of Punjab’s mental-health response; from prevention and healthy living to de-addiction, rehabilitation and access to professional treatment. With more than three out of every four beneficiaries in the available Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana data belonging to the 18–45 age group, making timely mental healthcare accessible could be particularly important for protecting the health, productivity and wellbeing of Punjab’s working-age population.
