New Delhi, March 15 : There has been an estimated increase of about 35 per cent in cases of anxiety and depression in India during the Covid-19 pandemic, the government said on Tuesday citing an international study. The global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to Covid-19 study was published in Lancet, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha member Rupa Ganguly wanted to know whether a study made such claims about India. Describing the steps taken by the government, the Minister said the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) of the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) has been sanctioned for implementation in 704 districts for which support is provided to states and on Territories through the National Health Mission. She said that under DMHP, facilities have been made available at the Comm ty Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels. The facilities include outpatient services, assessment, counselling or psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services and ambulance services, the Minister said. Besides, the government has taken other initiatives like setting up a 24×7 helpline to provide psycho-social support by mental health professionals to the entire affected population, divided into different target groups — children, adult, elderly, women and healthcare workers, she said. The Minister said that a total of 577,743 calls have been received on the Helpline till date. ASU MR