CISF Extends MoU with Mpower an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust for 3 Years
‘Project Mann’ by Mpower to provide counselors in 21 cities ensuring wider reach, to benefit CISF personnel and families
ABHIJIT KALITA
GUWAHATI,Sept 13:The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Sept 11th formally inked as 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 Neerja Birla. During the event, the MoU was formally signed by Parveen Sheikh, President Mpower, and Sudha Senthil, Vice President Sanrakshika.
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, 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.”
Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, said:
“At Mpower, we believe mental health is central to overall well-being and our continued partnership with CISF under Project Mann reflects our shared commitment to institutionalizing it. Over the next three years, we are scaling the program to ensure CISF personnel and their families have access to the care and sustainable support they need. This is a significant step toward building a culture where mental resilience is recognized as strength and emotional well-being is truly prioritized.”
