Central Government plans to open 100 yoga parks in India

Lucknow: The Centre is planning to open 100 Yoga parks across India, besides a Yoga centre in each state. The funds will be provided to Municipal authorities by the Central government.

The Yoga parks are nothing but neighbourhood parks, maintained by the municipal bodies. Yoga instructors would be hired to teach the common people about the ancient exercise.

“We are formalising the plans for 100 such Yoga parks as a part of our existing National AYUSH (Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) mission and yet to receive the cabinet approval,” an official from the Ayush ministry told DH.

Additionally, at least one Yoga centre would be set up in each state with central funding as another component of the mission.

It was announced by the Union AYUSH minister Shripad Yasso Naik ahead of the International Yoga Day in Lucknow on June 21, which will be attended by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The mission was notified by the Modi government within four months of coming to the power at the centre.

Naik said the participation of 51,000 people is expected in the main Yoga Day event in Lucknow. The day would be celebrated in all states as well as by the Indian Embassies and High Commissions. Singapore, for instance, would have a 9-day celebration with the involvement of locals.

Asked about the attendance of popular Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Naik said Ramdev would be in Gujarat with BJP president Amit Shah and would not be in Lucknow.