The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana will set up a ‘Yoga Aayog’ for the promotion of yoga in the State.
This was announced by the Chief Minister Manohar lal while presiding over the State level Yoga programme organised on the occasion of 4th International Yoga Day at Jhajjar on Thursday.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev had on June 12 met the Chief Minister at his residence here to put forth the demand of constituting a Yoga Aayog in Haryana. Ramdev had called on the Chief Minister regarding the preparations of International Yoga Day.
Though the State Government is yet to announce the composition of the ‘Yoga Aayog’, Baba Ramdev is likely to get a key role in the proposed institution.
The State Government had in 2015 appointed Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev as its brand ambassador for the promotion of yoga and ayurveda in Haryana. The government had also signed an MoU with Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar to develop World Herbal Forest in Morni at Panchkula district and open vyayam and yogshalas under Ramdev’s guidance in the state.
The State Government had also announced to give status equivalent to Cabinet Minister to Baba Ramdev, which he had declined.
Subsequently, the State Government had also announced to make yoga compulsory in the government schools.
However, the proposal to open vyayam and yogshalas in all villages of Haryana is yet to pick up pace while the mandatory practice of yoga in schools was put on backburner after a major controversy surrounding yoga in the state.
Ramdev’s elevation as the brand ambassador had also stirred a controversy in the state with ruling BJP sharply attacked by the opposition for "going out of its way" to appease Ramdev, who had supported the BJP's national election campaign in 2014.
Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion of International Yoga day at Jhajjar on Thursday, the Chief Minister urged the people to make yoga an integral part of their daily routine to energise their body and mind.
He said that performing Yoga Asanas lead to physical, mental and spiritual development and is helpful in all round development of personality.
Manohar lal said that yoga, the glorious tradition of Indian Culture, has gained worldwide recognition today.
In order to awaken the sense of happiness in the minds of people with physical development, Raahgiri programme are being organized fortnightly or monthly in all the districts of the state, he added.