Andhra Pradesh to set up yoga centres in every village as state expands wellness initiative, ETHealthworld
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh govt has announced plans to set up dedicated yoga centres in villages and urban wards to promote preventive healthcare and healthy living.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu made the announcement while participating in the state-level International Yoga Day celebrations at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium on Sunday. The event saw large participation from students, government employees, officials and the public. Naidu, along with HRD and IT minister Nara Lokesh, joined yoga guru Baba Ramdev in performing asanas and breathing exercises, including pranayama.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said the govt aims to take yoga to every household and improve public health through regular wellness practices. He announced that permanent yoga halls would be set up at Swarna Gramam and Swarna Ward offices, along with a dedicated portal to track yoga-related activities.
Naidu said officials at district and mandal levels would oversee the programmes, while an expert committee would prepare standard yoga protocols. He added that next year’s International Yoga Day celebrations would be organised in Tirupati under the “Yoga Andhra” initiative.
Calling for lifestyle changes, he urged people to cut down on junk food and adopt natural diets. He also reiterated the government’s goal of increasing green cover to 50%.
The chief minister said the Sanjeevani Project, aimed at linking citizens with healthcare and wellness services, will be rolled out across the state from August 15, with yoga as a key component.
During the event, officials said over 1.07 crore people and 2.5 lakh trainers participated in yoga activities across the state, earning recognition from the World Book of Records.
