‘Project Mann’ by Mpower to provide counselors in 21 cities ensuring wider reach, to benefit CISF personnel and families.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Sept 11th formally inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mpower a mental health social enterprise under Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET) extending it for an additional three years. The extension follows the successful implementation of Project Mann, a pioneering mental health initiative jointly undertaken by CISF and Mpower, founded by Mrs. Neerja Birla.
The initial MoU for Project Mann was signed by CISF with Mpower in Nov 2024 for one year. During the last nearly one year over 75,000 CISF personnel and their families have benefited from the professional services. Suicide rates within CISF have declined below the national average in 2024 and 2025.
Services are presently being provided by 23 Mpower Counselors/Clinical Psychologists across 13 CISF Sectors.
With the extension of the MoU, the number of counselors will be increased to 30, and services will be expanded to additional locations including Patna, Ahmedabad, Prayagraj, Bhopal/Indore, Jammu, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Cochin.
The benefits of Project Mann have been widely acknowledged, including:
- Reducing stigma around mental health.
- Encouraging early help-seeking behavior.
- Supporting emotional resilience and coping strategies.
- Ensuring continuity of care even in remote or high-security locations.
- Helping reduce absenteeism, burnout, and long-term psychological issues.
Speaking on the occasion, Sh. R.S. Bhatti, DG CISF, emphasized:
“The well-being of our personnel is paramount to maintaining operational excellence. Through our continued partnership with ABET, we aim to ensure that our force remains mentally resilient, emotionally strong, and fully prepared for meeting the challenges of national security.”
Mrs. Neerja Birla, Chairperson and Founder Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, said:
“At Mpower, we believe that mental health is central to overall well-being. The partnership with CISF under Project Mann has been deeply impactful, and we are committed to expanding our services to ensure that every CISF personnel and their family has access to the care and support they need.”
The extension of this MoU reflects CISF’s and Mpower’s shared vision to foster a mentally healthy force, in alignment with the Government of India’s initiative “Together For Mental Health.”
