The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore, Bill, 2010, empowers the institution to have greater automony on selecting the syllabi, confer degrees and grow its own manpower without the intervention of the Medical Council of India.
Participating in a debate, members from all parties supported the Bill moved by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
They, however, cautioned the government to ensure that the institute did not fall below expectations with which it was set up.
Agreeing that there was a need to develop such institutes in other parts of the country, Azad said availability of quality manpower is the main impediment. Against the need of 11,500 psychiatrists, only 3,800 are available in the country, he added.
"In this five-year Plan, the government intends to screen the entire country for non-communicable diseases," Azad said.
