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What is the News?
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has virtually launched the “MANAS” App.
About MANAS App:
- MANAS stands for Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System. It is a comprehensive, scalable, and a national digital wellbeing platform. It has been developed to promote the mental well-being of Indian citizens.
- Nodal Agency: Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
- Developed by: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bengaluru, Armed Forces Medical College(AFMC), Pune, and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing(C-DAC) Bengaluru.
- Key Features:
- Firstly, the platform integrates the health and wellness efforts of various government ministries.
- Secondly, the application can be used for a person’s overall wellbeing and is supported by teleconsultation, especially for mental health-related problems.
- Thirdly, there will also be health tracking and all data records will be maintained. It will help users during future consultations.
- Significance: The platform was endorsed as a national program by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
About Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser(PSA):
- Setup in: Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) was set up in 1999 by the Cabinet Secretariat. It is currently a Secretary level position.
- Mandate: It is the chief advisor to the government on matters related to scientific policy. The policies focus on critical infrastructure, economic and social sectors.
About PM-STIAC:
- PM-STIAC is an overarching council. The Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) is the chairman of the council.
- Functions: The council perform functions such as,
- Assess the status of specific S&T domains
- Comprehend challenges in S&T domains
- Formulates immediate, mid, and long term interventions and
- presents a roadmap to the Prime Minister.
Source: PIB
