Economic Survey calls for tackling rising digital addiction and screen-related mental health problems

Why in news

The Economic Survey 2025-26 highlighted rising digital addiction and screen-related mental health issues as a major healthcare concern, recommending a shift toward preventive healthcare and platform accountability.

Background

The Economic Survey 2025-26 proposed expanding the Tele-MANAS program to address digital addiction. It recommended interventions such as cyber-safety education, parental training on screen-time management, and integrating health systems with schools.

Facts for Prelims

• SchemeTele-MANAS: A government initiative to provide mental health support, proposed for expansion to address digital addiction.
• FactEconomic Survey 2025-26: Identified digital addiction as a major healthcare concern for children and adolescents.
• FactPreventive Healthcare: The Survey recommended a shift from a treatment-centric model to a preventive approach for non-communicable diseases.

For Mains

Q. Discuss the implications of rising digital addiction on public health and evaluate the shift toward a preventive healthcare model in India.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

• Institutional bottleneck: Lack of standardized protocols for platform accountability regarding harmful content for minors
• Policy trade-off: Balancing individual digital rights with state-led interventions for mental health surveillance
• Infrastructure gap: Need for community-level health systems to support technology-enabled public health surveillance

Keywords: Preventive Healthcare · Digital Addiction · Non-communicable Diseases · Public Health Surveillance · Platform Accountability

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