With Rs 5 crore outlay, 100 yoga centres to be set up

GUWAHATI: The state government on Tuesday kicked off its ambitious project to set up 100 yoga centres in 100 blocks across the state.
Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said around Rs 5 crore will be spent on the initial phase of the project. "By next year, we are going to cover the remaining 228 blocks. Each centre will have two yoga teachers and the government will pay Rs 10,000 to each of them. Each block will be provided funds of Rs 50,000 to be spent on the publicity of the yoga centre," Sarma said. "The centres will operate in two sessions, in the morning and in the evening, imparting training as prescribed by protocol of the ministry of Ayush.

We are also planning to add yoga clinics subsequently so that yoga can be utilized to treat different diseases. Yoga is a holistic way to deal with physical and mental illnesses," he added. The minister also pointed out that the government is setting up two Ayurveda hospitals. "We will set up two hospitals at Dhudhnoi and Majuli with an investment of Rs 15 crore.

Foundation stone for the Dhudhnoi project will be laid on December 23," he said. The health minister claimed that yoga has a proven track record of curing diseases. "Yoga is also practised in western countries.

Following the initiative of PM Narendra Modi, Indian embassies now have yoga centres," Sarma added.