Chennai, Sep 23 (IANS): The 1.3 lakh personnel of the Tamil Nadu Police and their family members will be provided well-being training, the government has decided.

The state police commenced coaching the councillors from Wednesday, who will be providing the well-being training.

The state police in association with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore has commenced training programme for 246 councillors who would, in turn, give wellness training to the police personnel and their families.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had in the recent passing-out parade of the Deputy Superintendents of Tamil Nadu Police as well as on the commencement of the Sub-Inspector training programmes stressed that mental health of the policemen has to be looked into and proper and scientific training given to them.

The AIADMK government under K. Palaniswami had taken an initiative in this direction and had associated with the NIHMANS to provide mental health training to Tamil Nadu policemen. A budget of Rs 10 crore was allocated and an initial amount of Rs 68 lakh was sanctioned for the same.

Stalin has now pushed for this project and the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, Sylendra Babu has taken it forward. In a statement, the state police headquarters informed that the training programme for the well-being trainers which include 112 from the police force and 134 from outside have commenced.

A diploma course to the 246 well-being master trainers was inaugurated virtually on Wednesday by the DGP Sylendra Babu. Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of the NIHMANS, presided over the function and delivered a lecture to the well-being trainers.

This course will be conducted at all commissionerates and district headquarters in the days to come, the statement from the police headquarters said.