Ramadoss keen on introducing yoga in schools

New Delhi: Speaking at a National Yoga Week here on Monday, the health minister said he would meet Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh to request him to make yoga compulsory in schools.

 

"I will personally meet the minister and discuss the issue of making yoga mandatory in schools across the country," Ramadoss said at the meet organised by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga here.

 

Admitting that the matter of making yoga compulsory for students has been pending with the HRD ministry for a long time, he said he would meet Arjun Singh next week.

 

To promote yoga, the minister said it would be introduced in 24 major Central Government Health Schemes (CGHS) centres in Delhi so that government servants who avail free health services would be screened and also taught yoga.

 

"There are 3.6 million beneficiaries of this scheme and one million families are registered with the central government. In 24 Delhi centres, yoga classes will be held in the morning. People will also be screened for early diagnosis of diseases," he said.

 

Appreciating the work done by yoga guru Ramdev in propagating the ancient science, Ramadoss described it as a "good trend" and a "cost-effective" way to lead a healthy life.

 

In a lighter vein he said, "Yoga is our system. Our forefathers founded it. Then it was exported to Western countries and now it has been imported back to India."

 

Ramadoss said it has been scientifically validated that yoga helps reduce hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, stress and mental disorders.

 

He said the IT sector should imbibe the concept of yoga as many youngsters straight out of college join these set-ups and end up facing many health problems.

 

"If the IT sector doesn't pull up its socks, there will be health-related problems (faced by its employees)," the minister said.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service