Selected fellows will undergo an initial two-week induction training at TISS Mumbai before field deployment.

Punjab Launches India’s First Mental Health Fellowship to Combat Substance Abuse

Punjab has launched its first-of-its-kind programme in the mental health domain to strengthen the state’s fight against substance abuse and build mental health capacity. State Health Minister Balbir Singh made the announcement for this initiative; he described the fellowship as the “country’s first fellowship programme dedicated towards reducing substance use and promoting mental well-being.

The initiative is a joint effort by Punjab’s Health Department, the Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali, and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS). It highlights a partnership between state institutions and a national-level academic body.

This is a two-year programme; from India and abroad, 35 mental-health professionals will be selected and deployed across all 23 districts of Punjab under this programme. This includes a mix of postings: 23 fellows in individual districts, 10 fellows assigned to five cluster resource centres, and two based at the headquarters of the state’s substance-use response unit.

Selected fellows will undergo an initial two-week induction training at TISS Mumbai before field deployment, equipping them with both academic grounding and field-level tools to tackle substance abuse, mental-health issues, and rehabilitation services.

Under this fellowship programme, each fellow will receive a monthly stipend of INR 60,000, along with specialised training, mentorship, and hands-on experience within Punjab’s public health infrastructure.

According to Balbir Singh, the government’s focus is not only on combating addiction but also on the institutionalisation of mental health care – making prevention, treatment and rehabilitation accessible across communities with increased awareness. He highlighted that a “Swasth Punjab” (healthy Punjab) is essential to achieve the broader vision of a “Rangla Punjab” (vibrant Punjab).

Punjab is signalling a transition from reactive interventions to a proactive, preventive, and compassionate approach by embedding trained mental-health professionals at district and community levels and treating substance abuse as a public health challenge rather than just a law-and-order problem. This fellowship could serve as a model for other states confronting addiction and mental-health crises, making Punjab’s initiative one to be watched on a national level.

Source: Times of India