Mohali (Punjab) [India], August 9 : The CISF on Saturday said that its Project Mann has extended crucial psychological support to more than 75,000 personnel and their families.
The programme, launched through an MoU signed in November 2024, in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Education Trust's mental health initiative 'Mpower', was jointly reviewed today by CISF Director General RS Bhatti, Indian Police Service (IPS), and Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET) Chairperson Neerja Birla.
DG Bhatti lauded the role of mental health professionals from ABET in building awareness, providing counselling, delivering clinical interventions, and training CISF staff to handle psychological challenges. So far, 1,726 CISF officers and sub-officers have been trained to recognise and manage low-risk mental health concerns while ensuring serious cases are referred to professionals. This two-tier system has significantly improved access to mental health assistance at the grassroots level.
In high-security units such as IGI Airport, Parliament, and Delhi Metro, psychometric assessments have been conducted for over 31,000 personnel, enabling early detection of potential mental health issues. Interventions have addressed cases of depression, marital discord, financial stress, and other personal challenges. As a result, the CISF suicide rate has dropped below the national average in 2024 and 2025, reflecting the initiative's impact.
Given its success, both DG Bhatti and Mrs Birla have committed to continuing the programme in the coming years. Emphasising the importance of mental health, DG Bhatti remarked, "Mental health is as mission-critical as physical fitness for our personnel. This initiative strengthens our internal support systems and ensures that our personnel remain emotionally resilient, focused, and operationally ready."
Neerja Birla highlighted the broader achievement of institutionalising mental health within the force, noting, "Over the past three years, Project Mann has supported more than 75,000 personnel through psychometric screening, counselling, peer engagement, and a 24x7 helpline across CISF units nationwide. CISF's commitment to integrating wellness protocols into daily routines has resulted in a 40% reduction in suicide incidents, which is a truly positive outcome."