Whether in the army, police, or defense forces, soldiers are enlisted only after fulfilling the requirements of physical fitness; however, often those who exhibit physical strength encounter mental difficulties. Data indicates that over the past 12 years, every second or third day, a member of the central forces suffers from a distressing accident, primarily attributed to mental stress, specifically depression. As a result, numerous soldiers even took their own lives.
To alleviate the mental stress of soldiers and enhance their mental well-being, CISF has introduced a new approach to prevent any misconduct. Under this initiative, officers and soldiers, along with their families, receive training on managing stress effectively.
CISF has additionally received backing from Aditya Birla Education Trust for this project launched for the soldiers’ mental health. These soldiers will receive training to maintain their mental fitness. Concerning this project for the soldiers, CISF Sub Inspector Deepak Verma stated that it commenced with backing from Aditya Birla Education Trust and is called ‘Project Man’.
In this project, MAAN of CISF will identify soldiers experiencing mental or emotional distress and provide assistance through regular psychometric assessment screenings. This initiative will assist CISF in timely mitigating future risks.
CISF officer Deepak Verma stated that this project will offer specialized training on enhancing emotional resilience during duty, all members of the security force will receive counseling from trained psychologists, and a 24X7 helpline service will also be made available.
As per the details, CISF has also entered into an MOU with Aditya Birla Education to implement this project methodically for all soldiers. This MOU has been endorsed by CISF, Kannan Shrivastava, Secretary of the CISF Wives Association Sanrakshika, and Parveen Shaikh, President of Empower.