Uttarakhand CM launches dedicated Yoga Policy on occasion of 11th International Yoga Day
Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], June 21 (ANI): Uttarakhand has made history by becoming the first state in India to implement a dedicated Yoga Policy, following its pioneering efforts in introducing the Uniform Civil Code.
The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led cabinet on Saturday approved this landmark initiative, aiming to establish Uttarakhand as a global hub for yoga and wellness.
The Yoga Policy has been prepared with the aim of establishing Uttarakhand as the global capital of yoga and wellness under which a subsidy of up to Rs 20 lakh is being provided for developing yoga and meditation centers in the state.
A provision of grants up to Rs 10 lakh has also been made to promote research in the field of yoga, meditation and naturopathy in the state.
With the inspiration of the Prime Minister, the state government has implemented the country's first Yoga Policy 2025 in the state.
The Chief Minister further stated that the state government is determined to establish five new yoga hubs in the state by 2030 and by March 2026, the availability of yoga services will also be ensured in all AYUSH Health and Wellness Centers in the state.
The CM also planted an apple tree in the Vidhan Sabha premises under the 'Ek Vriksha Yoga ke Naam' program.
During this, the Chief Minister announced that the state government would soon establish one Spiritual Economic Zone each in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions to promote Ayurvedic and Naturopathy, Yoga and Spiritual Tourism in the state.
He further stated that two new towns would be established in the hilly areas of the state, which would establish the special identity of the state on the global map by becoming the center of Yoga, Ayurveda and Spirituality
Extending wishes on the 11th International Yoga Day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the presence of all the foreign guests will give global recognition to this event.
He further stated that Bhararisain, along with being the summer capital, was also a center of rich cultural heritage and amazing natural beauty.
He further said that the mass yoga practice done with the representatives of eight friendly nations would prove to be an important step towards making Devbhoomi Uttarakhand the global capital of yoga and spirituality.
The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand was also the land of yoga and spirituality along with Devbhoomi.
Focusing on the importance of yoga, the Chief Minister said that the practice helped establish complete harmony between the mind, soul and body.
'Yoga keeps our body healthy and provides inner peace, mental balance and spiritual stability to human life. With various yoga asanas and pranayama, the body and mind can be freed from stress. Yoga increases concentration of mind and also transmits positive energy in life,' the CM said.
He further stated that the practice of yoga had helped connect the human society across the world by crossing caste, language, religion and geographical boundaries.
'Yoga is working to tie the whole world together by becoming a bridge of global unity, harmony and brotherhood. The visionary thinking and inspirational leadership of the Prime Minister has given Yoga a new identity on the world stage by making it a mantra of global connectivity and health of humanity,' Dhami stated.
He further state that state government was committed to solving the problem of employment generation and migration in the state under the guidance of the Prime Minister.
Several important schemes are also being worked on to promote local economy and tourism in the state. The state government has also constituted a Strategic Advisory Committee in the state with the aim of providing maximum means of self-employment at the local level.
This committee will work to promote innovation for the economic and social development of the state. We are also working towards providing employment opportunities to the youth in the hills as per their skills.
Before participating in the program organized on International Yoga Day in Bhararisain, the Chief Minister reached among the students and local people.
He interacted with the people and enquired about their well-being and also met the students. Special enthusiasm and excitement was seen among the students on finding the Chief Minister among them. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Devotees arrive at Nilachal Hills for Ambubachi mahayog
1 2 Guwahati: As the Ambubachi Mahayog, the annual spiritual congregation, begins on Sunday, thousands of devotees from across the country have started arriving at the Nilachal Hills, home to the ancient Kamakhya Temple. The four-day festival marks the annual menstruation cycle of the goddess Kamakhya, making it one of the most significant spiritual gatherings in the northeastern state. Kabindra Prasad Sarma, bor doloi (head priest) of the temple, said the Mahayog is scheduled to commence at 2:56 pm on Sunday and will conclude at 3:00 am on June 26. The areas of Bharalu, Bhutnath, Maligaon, and Adabari are already witnessing a massive influx of devotees who have begun arriving from Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, settling there ahead of the Mahayog. Temporary tents and bhandaras (community kitchens) have been set up in these localities to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. The streets and open spaces in these areas are brimming with activity as the crowd continues to swell with each passing hour, indicating the scale of participation this year. While some have consistently run community kitchens over the years, this year many have stepped up for the first time, claiming they are inspired by the spirit of service during the Ambubachi. "This is the first time we opened a stall, where we will be serving food and water to the pilgrims. We pooled in the necessary resources and got our tent registered at the district administration's office," said Anuvaa Dutta, a resident from Adabari. Meanwhile, Bishwajit Paul, a resident of Pandu who sets up a community kitchen near Pandu Port, said they usually begin operations on the day of the Mahayog. However, due to the overwhelming crowd this year, they were compelled to open a day in advance. "Earlier, tents used to be set up at both Pandu Port and the Kamakhya Railway Station, but this time, the majority of devotees are staying in tents erected on the port premises itself. So, we had to open the gates today. Starting Sunday, we will be serving three meals a day, along with drinks and snacks," he said. Paul also added that the cost of running the community kitchen is very high, as last year, their daily expenditure went up to Rs 1.20 lakh, and this time, they are expecting it to rise even further.
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
Air India Express flight to Patna diverted to Varanasi due to bad weather
New Delhi [India], June 22 (ANI): An Air India Express flight from Delhi to Patna was diverted to Varanasi on Saturday due to adverse weather conditions. An airline spokesperson said that Air India Express flight IX1014 from Delhi (DEL) to Patna (PAT) on 21 June 2025 was diverted to Varanasi (VNS). 'Due to adverse weather conditions, one of our flights to Patna was diverted briefly to Varanasi. When the weather improved, the flight resumed and landed in Patna. We regret the delay caused by circumstances beyond our control,' the spokesperson said. Earlier in the week, on Monday, another Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi had to return to the national capital shortly after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. The airline said the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane was scheduled to land at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport at 6:20 PM. After the inspection and clearance, the aircraft continued its normal operations. 'One of our flights returned to Delhi after take-off due to a suspected technical issue. Post inspections and clearance, the aircraft continued scheduled operations. We regret the inconvenience,' the airline spokesperson said. Earlier on Friday, Air India cancelled several international and domestic flights due to increased aircraft checks, bad weather, and airspace restrictions. Affected flights include services between Dubai, Chennai, Delhi, Melbourne, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. According to an Air India's statement, 'Air India's international flights AI906 from Dubai to Chennai; AI308 from Delhi to Melbourne; AI309 from Melbourne to Delhi; AI2204 from Dubai to Hyderabad and domestic flights AI874 from Pune to Delhi; AI456 from Ahmedabad to Delhi; AI-2872 from Hyderabad to Mumbai and AI571 from Chennai to Mumbai have been cancelled due to enhanced maintenance and operational reasons.' The airline has offered full refunds or free rescheduling and is helping passengers with alternate travel plans. 'We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers. Our colleagues on ground are making alternative arrangements for them to fly to their respective destinations at the earliest. Full refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling has been offered to passengers,' it said. (ANI)
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Many opt for premium travel insurance cover amid global flight disruptions
1 2 3 Pune: Holiday and business travellers are now increasingly purchasing more expensive travel insurance policies, experts said, as anxieties mounted over possible disruptions such as Covid surges, war, hospitalizations abroad and issues with airline safety. In Pune too, flyers said they did not mind paying the premium, as long as a range of unforeseen events were covered. "A basic travel insurance policy to Thailand typically costs Rs 500-600 for a week, but I paid Rs 1,100 for one that also covered medical emergencies and theft," said Rahul Sejpal, a resident of Wanowrie, who flew recently to the southeast Asian country. Naresh Upadhyay, a resident of Hadapsar, also purchased an expensive insurance cover for an upcoming Europe trip. "There have been serious flight disruptions due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. So I opted for a wider insurance cover, one that accounts for these uncertainties," he said. Meet Kapadia, head of travel insurance at PolicyBazaar, said 62% of travellers today pick policies with coverage of $250,000 (over Rs 2 crore) or more, up from the earlier benchmark of $100,000 (over Rs 86 lakh). Kapadia said: "We've observed a clear shift towards higher-value coverage, especially for destinations such as Europe. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Cooling Tech Making Ductless ACs Go Mainstream [take a look] Keep Cool Click Here Undo Individuals between 55 and 70 years of age, in particular, are even opting for coverage exceeding $500,000 (over Rs 4 crore), largely driven by concerns of high hospitalisation costs abroad and need for medical support. " Kapadia also said PolicyBazaar has recorded a 40% increase in purchase of travel insurance policies for the summer this year, compared to the same period last year. Of great concern, have been the geopolitical flare-ups along several key flight paths. Data from real-time plane-tracker FlightRadar24 showed thinning air traffic over regions of Israel, Iraq, Iran and Ukraine as pilots squeezed into safe corridors that avoided these conflict zones. Besides geopolitics, geological events too have hit headlines. The recent eruptions of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia grounded at least 87 flights to and from Bali — 66 international and 21 domestic ones. Bali airport officials said the volcano impacted critical air connections to Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. The flights resumed three days later, on Thursday, June 19. "There may be a shift towards purchasing additional covers along with travel insurance as a standard part of people's travel preparations," said Bhaskar Nerurkar, head of the health administration team at Bajaj Allianz General Insurance. "Many individuals are now proactively seeking information about various aspects of their policies, particularly regarding trip cancellations, medical emergencies, cancellations for any reason, and protections against geopolitical disruptions," he said. Surender Tonk, vice President of Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI), said Covid was another factor. Earlier this month, at least 5 countries and regions, including Hong Kong and parts of US - all experiencing upticks of cases - sent out travel advisories urging people to avoid non-essential travel. "People are opting and preferring to go for higher insured travel insurance policies due to these uncertainties," Tonk said. "The Covid-19 pandemic raised awareness related to travel risks and hence witnessed more demand for comprehensive travel insurance policies," he added.
