In a bid to extensively promote ayurveda and yoga in the State, the Haryana Government would sign an agreement with Yog Guru Baba Ramdev on April 21. The State Government has already announced to give status equivalent to Cabinet Minister to Baba Ramdev and have also made him brand ambassador for promotion of Yoga and Ayurveda in Haryana. BJP-led Haryana Government has made yoga compulsory in the schools and plans to build ‘yogshalas’ in all towns and villages under Ramdev’s guidance.
The Government also plans to train Anganwari workers to teach yoga to children. In its first phase, yogshalas would be set up in every 50 villages of the district and total 1,050 villages in the State. The State Government has also constituted Guidance Board and Education Advisory Committee to include yoga and moral education in Haryana’s school curriculum. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday said that a felicitation function would be organised in the honour of Yoga Guru Ramdev on April 21 at Sports School Rai in Sonipat where Chief Minister Manohar lal would be the chief guest.
During the programme, Swami Ramdev would sign an agreement with the State Government. “Under his guidance, ayurveda and yoga would be promoted extensively in the State,” said Vij. The Health Minister said that the felicitation function would be organised at 7:30 am and Swami Ramdev would also give live demonstration of various yoga asanas and pranayam.
At present, 550 doctors of Ayush Department are being trained at Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar. As many as 105 doctors of Ayush Department have been provided training and soon rest of the doctors would also be provided training.
“Besides this, the State Government would set up a world-class herbal forest in the state where as many as 25000 saplings of different varieties from all over world would be planted,” informed Vij. Shortly after coming to power, the BJP Government in Haryana had announced to rope in Ramdev to promote Yoga, which is also one of the pet projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Notably, Ramdev’s elevation as the brand ambassador had caused a furore in the Haryana Assembly session last month. The ruling BJP was sharply attacked in the Assembly by the opposition Congress for “going out of its way” to appease Ramdev. Ramdev had also supported the BJP’s national election campaign last year.