Police’s ‘Magilchi’ programme extended to 8 districts in western TN
The Magilchi programme takes a holistic approach to ensure the mental well-being of the police force involving a multi-disciplinary team comprising of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers.
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CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Police’s ‘Magilchi’ (Maximizing Ability, Growth, Ideal lift, Choices and Independence) programme, aimed at focusing on the mental well-being of police personnel, has now been extended to the West Zone following positive feedback from the cops in the city and southern districts.
The Magilchi programme takes a holistic approach to ensure the mental well-being of the police force involving a multi-disciplinary team comprising of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers.
“Tamil Nadu State Police is the only force in the country to have started a welfare programme of this nature. Chief Minister Stalin has appreciated and encouraged this endeavour. The GoTN has so far allocated funds of Rs 1.15 crore for three centres,” an official statement from the police headquarters said.
The pilot project was inaugurated on November 20, 2021, at Guru Nanak College, Chennai, by the current DGP Shankar Jiwal, who was the Commissioner at the time. It was then extended to the South Zone, covering 10 districts with the setting up of a centre in Madurai last year in February. Another centre was opened in Tiruvarur in August for the Central zone covering 9 districts and Tiruchy.
The programme was designed in such a way that a myriad of issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts, alcohol and/or online gambling addictions, behavioural problems, aggressive behaviour, and more were addressed. As on May 1 this year, 2,844 police personnel (1,884 men and 960 women) have benefitted from these 3 centres – one each at Chennai, Madurai and Tiruvarur, police said.
“As the programme’s success is evident and has improved the individual wellbeing and professional skills, it has now been opened in Coimbatore to serve the cops in the west zone, which includes 8 districts and commissionerates in Salem, Tirupur and Coimbatore,” an official release stated.
DGP Jiwal inaugurated the Magilchi centre at PSGR Krishnammal College for Women at Peelamedu, Coimbatore, on Saturday.
