19 March 2026·PIB

Ayush Partners with CISF to Boost Preventive Healthcare and Wellness for Personnel

In this note

1. At a Glance

MoU between Ministry of Ayush and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) (under MHA) to integrate Ayush-based preventive healthcare, yoga, and stress management for CISF personnel and families [1][2].
Reflects the mainstreaming of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy) into Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) wellness ecosystems [1].
UPSC relevance: GS-II (government policies, health), GS-III (internal security forces' welfare), and Prelims (schemes/MoUs).

On 19 March 2026, the Ministry of Ayush signed an MoU with CISF at CISF Headquarters, New Delhi, to deliver Ayush-based preventive healthcare, wellness, yoga, and stress management to personnel and dependents [1][2].

Ministry of Ayush created as a standalone ministry in November 2014 (carved out of erstwhile Dept. of AYUSH under MoHFW) [3].
Series of inter-ministerial MoUs preceding this one: Ayush–Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, MoD (2023) and Ayush–Department of Social Justice & Empowerment for geriatric care and substance abuse (2025) [4][5].
CISF MoU extends the same template to internal security forces under MHA [1].

Signed by: Dr. A. Raghu, Adviser (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush; Smt. Pratibha Agarwal, IG (Administration), CISF HQ [1][2].
Witnessed by: Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush; Shri Praveer Ranjan, IPS, Director General, CISF [2].
Parent Ministries: Ministry of Ayush (Ayush); Ministry of Home Affairs (CISF) [1].
CISF: Raised under the CISF Act, 1968; one of India's CAPFs; protects industrial undertakings, airports, metros, govt buildings, Delhi Metro, etc.
Scope of MoU: awareness generation, sensitisation programmes, wellness interventions, yoga, lifestyle management, Ayush OPD-level services at CISF establishments where feasible [1].
Ayush deliverables: technical support, wellness modules, expert guidance through Ayush institutions and research councils (CCRAS, CCRYN, CCRH, CCRUM, CCRS) [1].

Administrative / Governance: Inter-ministerial convergence (Ayush ↔ MHA); leverages institutional capacity of Ayush research councils to serve CAPFs [1].
Social / Welfare: Targets occupational stress, lifestyle disorders, and mental health of armed personnel — a recurring concern flagged in Parliamentary Standing Committee reports on CAPFs.
Health Policy: Operationalises the preventive & promotive pillar of the National Health Policy 2017 and aligns with Ayushman Bharat — Health & Wellness Centres model emphasising yoga and wellness [6].
Strategic / Internal Security: Healthier CISF personnel → improved guarding of critical infrastructure (airports, ports, nuclear, space installations), reducing attrition and lifestyle morbidity.
Cultural / Soft Power: Strengthens domestic institutionalisation of yoga ahead of International Day of Yoga 2026 (11th edition) [7].

19 Mar 2026: Ayush–CISF MoU signed [1].
Mar 2026: Yoga Mahotsav–2026 in Lonar (Maharashtra) launching 75-day countdown to IDY 2026 (21 June) [7].
2025: Ayush MoU with Dept. of Social Justice & Empowerment for geriatric care and de-addiction [5].
2023: Ayush MoU with Dept. of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, MoD [4].

Ministry of Ayush became a separate ministry in November 2014 [3].
CISF is governed by the CISF Act, 1968 and falls under MHA (not MoD) [1].
DG CISF at the time of signing: Praveer Ranjan, IPS [2].
Secretary, Ministry of Ayush: Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha [2].
Six recognised systems under Ayush: Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy [3].
Research councils under Ayush include CCRAS, CCRYN, CCRUM, CCRS, CCRH [3].
MoU envisages Ayush OPD-level services at CISF establishments where feasible [1].
Ayush has previously signed MoUs with Dept. of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (2023) and DoSJE (2025) [4][5].
International Day of Yoga: 21 June, since 2015 (UNGA Res. 69/131, 2014) [7].
CISF is one of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) — others: BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, AR.

GS-II: "Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; issues relating to health"; "Government policies and interventions for development".
GS-III: "Various Security Forces and Agencies and their mandate".
Probable stems: 1. "Mainstreaming of AYUSH within central security forces marks a shift from curative to preventive healthcare. Discuss." 2. "Critically examine the role of inter-ministerial MoUs in operationalising the National Health Policy 2017." 3. "Stress and lifestyle disorders among CAPF personnel are an internal security concern. Examine recent initiatives addressing this."

Ayushman Bharat – HWCs & PM-JAY: parent preventive-care architecture [6].
CAPFs (BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, AR, CISF): mandates and parent Acts.
National AYUSH Mission (NAM): centrally sponsored scheme.
International Day of Yoga & Yoga Mahotsav 2026 [7].
National Health Policy 2017: preventive/promotive pillar.
WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, Jamnagar (2022): global AYUSH footprint.
Fit India Movement / eSanjeevani: complementary wellness/telehealth schemes.

CISF is under MHA, NOT MoD; do not confuse with Ex-Servicemen Welfare MoU (2023) which is under MoD [1][4].
Ayush is a separate Ministry since 2014, not a department under MoHFW.
CISF Act is of 1968, not 1962 (BSF) or 1949 (CRPF — renamed 1949; original CRPF Act 1949).
The MoU is on preventive healthcare & wellness, not curative tertiary care — aspirants may overstate scope.
"Ayush OPD services" are conditional ("where feasible"), not a guaranteed nationwide rollout [1].