The State has set an ambitious goal of achieving cent per cent physical literacy in 10 years to which yoga can contribute significantly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
He was inaugurating a two-day colloquium on Yoga in Life Sciences and Beyond-Emerging Possibilities for a New World Order, organised by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) and the International Yoga Research Foundation here on Saturday.
“Kerala has made outstanding progress in the health sector. Yet there are some shortcomings in the area of social health that need to be addressed seriously. We also need to work on a special action plan to tackle lifestyle diseases, besides regularly updating health data to plug loopholes,” the Chief Minister said.
A project to set up 1,000 Ayush yoga clubs across local bodies in the State was on the anvil to impart yoga training to at least 20 individuals in a ward at a time, he said.
Schemes involving a total outlay of ₹18.65 crore were also being implemented to improve the infrastructure of yoga health centres under the Ayush Mission and as part of State-level schemes.
“Collective effort is needed to address future health challenges. Propagation of yoga and facilitating its proper training will strengthen efforts in this direction,” Mr. Vijayan said.
By facilitating yoga, Kerala could become a total health tourism destination, attracting visitors seeking wellness solutions, he said.
Sri M, founder president, The Satsang Foundation, RGCB director Chandrabhas Narayana, and former Chief Secretary V.P. Joy were present at the event, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush; University Centre for Yogic Sciences, Bengaluru; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology; Regional Cancer Centre; and the World Ayurveda Foundation.
