Cabinet approves setting up of NIMHR at Bhopal

The Union Cabinet today approved setting up of a National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) at Bhopal as a society under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 179.54 crore in first three years. This includes non-recurring expenditure of Rs 128.54 crore and recurring expenditure of Rs 51 crore, an official statement said.

The Cabinet approved setting up of NIMHR under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

It also approved the proposal to create three joint secretary-level posts -- one post of director in the institute and two posts of professors.

"The main objectives of the NIMHR are to provide rehabilitation services to the people with mental illness, capacity development in the area of mental health rehabilitation, policy framing and advanced research in mental health rehabilitation," the statement said.

The institute would have nine departments/ centres and would conduct 12 courses to offer diploma, certificate, graduate, post graduate, M Phil degrees in the area of mental health rehabilitation.

Within a span of five years, student intake of the institute in various courses was expected to be over 400, it said.

The Madhya Pradesh government has allocated five acres of land in Bhopal for this institute and it would be established in three years in two phases, it added.