Bhagwant Mann: Punjab’s mental healthcare system is set for a significant shake-up after the newly reconstituted State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) held its first review meeting on September 22, 2026, in Chandigarh, chaired by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh.
A Broader, More Inclusive Authority
The meeting followed the recent induction of 11 non-official members into the SMHA, a move meant to give fresh direction to psychiatric care in the state. Dr Balbir Singh presided over the proceedings alongside Principal Secretary-cum-Chairperson Kumar Rahul and Director Health Services Punjab Dr Hitinder Kaur.
Government’s Commitment To The Mental Healthcare Act
Addressing the authority, Dr Balbir Singh reiterated that the Bhagwant Mann-led government remains committed to upholding the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, ensuring high-quality, humane, and stigma-free psychiatric services for every citizen without discrimination. He said mental healthcare cannot function in isolation and that the revitalised SMHA will act as the statutory body responsible for monitoring service delivery, enforcing quality standards, and protecting patient rights across government hospitals, medical colleges, and private clinics alike.
Crackdown On Inhumane Practices
In a strong message on patient dignity, the Health Minister issued strict instructions banning unlawful and dehumanising practices at mental health facilities across Punjab. He specifically flagged outdated methods such as chaining patients, solitary seclusion, and administering electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) without anaesthesia and muscle relaxants, warning that such practices are illegal and will attract strict penal action.
Mandatory Registration For Private Facilities
The authority also discussed the rollout of the Punjab State Mental Health Authority Rules and the Punjab Mental Healthcare (Rights of Persons with Mental Illness) Rules, both of which have already received central government approval. It was decided that all 83 private psychiatric nursing homes and clinics operating in the state must compulsorily register under the SMHA, in line with Section 65 of the Act.
