Ranchi (IANS): In a landmark step for mental healthcare, the Union Budget 2026-27 has introduced a major expansion plan. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of NIMHANS-2, with Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Tezpur (Assam) selected as the key locations. This decision is expected to revolutionize mental health treatment and research across Eastern and North-Eastern India.
The government noted that with the rising cases of mental health disorders, there is an urgent need for large-scale specialist institutions at the regional level. While the original NIMHANS is based in Bengaluru, the creation of NIMHANS-2 in Ranchi will strengthen the city’s existing reputation as a national hub for psychiatric care. Similarly, the Tezpur facility will integrate the North-Eastern states into India’s advanced mental health network.
The Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, is to be upgraded as a regional apex institution. This is expected to significantly strengthen mental health services, research, and training in the eastern part of India.
Announcing key initiatives for the mental health sector in her Budget 2026=27 speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said national mental health institutes in Ranchi and Assam’s Tezpur would be upgraded as regional apex institutions. She also announced the establishment of NIMHANS-2 to cater to the long-felt need for a national-level mental health institution in north India.
The Finance Minister noted that the absence of a dedicated apex mental health institution in the north had been a major gap in the country’s healthcare ecosystem, prompting the government to take this decision.
The upgradation of Ranchi’s CIP is expected to enhance its national role, opening new avenues for infrastructure expansion, advanced research, specialised training programmes, and the introduction of modern treatment facilities.
The move is also likely to strengthen inter-regional collaboration in mental healthcare delivery.
Founded in 1918 during British rule, the Central Institute of Psychiatry is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious mental health institutions. Originally known as the Ranchi European Lunatic Asylum, the institute has evolved over its 108-year history into a premier centre for comprehensive mental healthcare, research, and human resource development.
Spread across 211 acres, the CIP is internationally recognised for its open-hospital model, lush green campus, and patient-centric treatment approach.
The institute currently caters to over 85,000 patients annually, publishes more than 130 research papers, and trains a large number of mental health professionals every year.
The CIP also houses advanced facilities such as a state-of-the-art neuroimaging centre, a 3-Tesla fMRI unit, a brain stimulation laboratory, and a well-equipped medical library.
Its emphasis on sustainability, including the use of solar energy and preservation of green spaces, has earned it recognition as a ‘green’ institution.
With its elevation to a regional apex institution, the CIP is expected to regain a central position on India’s mental health map, ushering in a new phase of growth and reaffirming Ranchi’s legacy as a hub for mental healthcare in the country.
