New Delhi, Aug 7– Delhi has witnessed a significant surge in suicide cases over the past five years, with numbers rising from 2,526 in 2018 to 3,417 in 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The suicide rate in the national capital climbed from 12.9 to 16.2 per lakh population between 2018 and 2022 — well above the national average of 12.4.
Nationwide, India recorded 1,70,924 suicides in 2022 — the highest figure in five years — with 14,600 cases linked to mental illness, according to the Ministry’s written reply.
To improve access to mental health services, the government launched the National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS) on October 10, 2022. The initiative provides 24/7 tele-counselling through dedicated mental health cells set up across states and union territories.
“As of July 31, 2025, a total of 53 Tele MANAS Cells have been established across 36 States and UTs,” the Ministry noted. “The helpline has handled more than 24 lakh calls since its inception.”
In Delhi, the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) has received 25,160 calls through its Tele MANAS Cell, the data showed.
Between 2022 and 2025, the government allocated ₹230.98 crore under the National Tele Mental Health Programme, but only ₹140.69 crore has been released so far.
Despite the scale of the issue and the launch of Tele MANAS, the Ministry admitted that no formal impact evaluation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 has been carried out to date.
The rising suicide rate has sparked renewed concerns about gaps in mental healthcare delivery and the need for stronger institutional frameworks. Experts have consistently called for better funding, regular monitoring, and on-ground support mechanisms to prevent suicide and address the broader mental health crisis.
