Lissun on Union Budget 2025-26: Progress in Healthcare, but Mental Health Needs More Focus

The 2025-26 Union Budget presents an encouraging step forward in addressing the pressing need for systemic improvements in India’s healthcare. Lissun welcomes the expansion of medical education with 10,000 new seats in medical colleges and the focus on increasing specialized training to create a well-equipped workforce, which will positively impact the mental health sector. The credit guarantee cover and the new Fund of Funds, particularly for startups, is a promising move to foster innovation in mental health technology and services, enabling companies like ours to scale and enhance accessibility. We also appreciate the emphasis on the creation of cancer centers, as this marks a broader push towards health equity. However, as we look ahead, further targeted initiatives such as the integration of mental health into primary healthcare, insurance coverage for mental health, and investments in early intervention programs for neurodevelopmental disorders must remain priorities to truly revolutionize the mental health framework, which has clearly been missed in this budget. – Mr. Tarun Gupta, Co-Founder at Lissun