NEW DELHI: The Central Industrial Security Force’s mental health initiative, Project Mann, launched in partnership with MPower under the Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), has supported over 75,000 personnel and their families since its inception in November 2024.
The programme, reviewed on Tuesday by ABET chairperson Neerja Birla and CISF Director General RS Bhatti, focuses on awareness, counselling, and clinical intervention to tackle stress, depression, and related issues among the force.
So far, 1,726 officers and sub-officers have been trained to identify low-risk mental health cases and escalate complex ones to experts, creating a two-tier support system. Psychometric evaluations have been administered to 31,000 personnel deployed at sensitive sites, including IGI Airport, Parliament, and the Delhi Metro, enabling timely counselling for those struggling with family or financial issues.
Significantly, the CISF’s suicide rate dropped below the national average in 2024–25, with officials crediting Project Mann’s proactive outreach. The project also operates a 24×7 helpline and runs peer interaction sessions across CISF units.
Highlighting the programme’s success, Birla noted a 40 per cent reduction in suicides within the force, calling it proof of the importance of embedding mental well-being in CISF’s operational culture. Bhatti echoed this, emphasising that mental resilience is as critical as physical readiness for security personnel.
Given its measurable impact, both leaders confirmed that Project Mann would continue, ensuring sustained mental health support for the force nationwide.