In the past 10 months, over 250 personnel have managed to achieve the ideal weight and Body Mass Index by losing a minimum of 7-8 kg and a maximum of 12-15 kg.
The new motivation-linked initiative, besides a revamped diet and fitness regime, has achieved heartening results for the Rajasthan Frontier.
The Rajasthan Frontier of the Border Security Force has come up with a new health dictum for its personnel: get fit and get a posting of your choice.
The force has put in place a smart solution to address fitness woes of its personnel by incentivising them with the transfer of their choice on achieving the ideal weight. Those who get fitter also receive a cash reward and a commendation that goes into their Annual Confidential Report and helps in getting promotion.
The fitness of BSF personnel — constables as well as officers — has been a cause of concern with the force losing seven-eight men every month due to cardiac failures, according to official data. Besides, lethargy and obesity have had adverse effects on the morale of the force. Nearly 6 per cent of the BSF personnel in Rajasthan has been found to be struggling with obesity.
The new motivation-linked initiative, besides a revamped diet and fitness regime, has achieved heartening results for the Rajasthan Frontier.
In the past 10 months, over 250 personnel have managed to achieve the ideal weight and Body Mass Index by losing a minimum of 7-8 kg and a maximum of 12-15 kg.
The plan, which applies to those who are overweight by 20 per cent of their ideal weight, has also helped boost morale with those getting fitter standing a better chance at getting the posting of their choice.
“The weight loss success story is also highlighted in the ACR and is considered for promotion,” said DIG Ravi Gandhi.
Constable Suresh Kumar is one among the many who benefitted from the programme. “In July, I requested for a transfer from Pokharan to the Frontier headquarters in Jodhpur. IG saab called me and said: lose 10 kg and come back to me with your request,” said Kumar, a resident of Sikar.
Over the next one month, Kumar hit the golf grounds nearby, running and exercising every morning and evening for two hours each. “In exactly one month, I lost 13.5 kg. Besides exercise, I also watched my diet. It’s a great programme. I got the posting of my choice and I feel good about having become fitter,” he said
“We had been receiving communication from the MHA and the Director General about the force’s fitness problems. So in March, we put in place this mechanism and the results have been very encouraging,” said BSF IG B R Meghwal who introduced the programme.
A doctor by profession before he joined the IPS, Meghwal felt an acute lack of health awareness among personnel when he joined as IG in February this year.
“Ninety percent people, even officers, have no clue about healthy eating practices. So we changed some rules in the mess too. People have been working very hard since the introduction of the programme but apart from the incentives, it ultimately depends on one’s will power,” he said. The changed dietary regime includes introduction of flax seeds, coarse cereals and high fibre food in BSF messes. “Earlier, non-vegetarian food was served for dinner. We changed that to only for lunch, besides instructing the kitchens to cut down on serving oily and deep fried foods,” said Meghwal.
