On International Yoga Day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami did Mahayoga, Pranayama with SSB jawans and youth in Banbasa, giving a big message.

Tanakpur/Banbasa: On the sacred and historic occasion of International Yoga Day, a wonderful and supernatural scene of health, spirituality and patriotism was seen in Banbasa of Champawat district of Uttarakhand. State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the grand state level yoga program organized in the border area Banbasa. The Chief Minister did group yoga exercises sitting on the ground with thousands of yoga practitioners, brave Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) soldiers, school students, energetic youth, mother power and senior citizens present there. On this special occasion, CM Dhami extended warm wishes to all the people of the state on International Yoga Day and described Yoga as the real basis of a happy, healthy and completely balanced life.

While addressing the public meeting, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that it is a matter of great joy, pride and good fortune for him personally to get the opportunity to come to this holy and historical land of Holy Mother Sharda and practice yoga with the people of the area. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all the yoga trainers, devotees who came from far and wide and the officials of the organizing committee who made this grand and successful event of Yoga Day happen in the border areas.

Yoga is not just an exercise, but a sacred way of life

Explaining the importance of yoga in very simple words, the Chief Minister said that yoga should not be seen only as a way to make the body flexible or as a physical exercise. In fact, yoga is a great way of life that establishes a deep harmony between our mind, body and holy soul. He said that in today’s busy world, Yoga provides stability to our restless mind and inspires any common man to move forward on the path of positivity, balance and success.

CM Dhami further said that in the present times, amidst all the modern challenges arising from mental stress, depression and unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle, Yoga is working as a very accurate and effective natural treatment system i.e. Natural Therapy. If a person practices yoga and pranayam every day regularly, his immunity increases rapidly, mental concentration becomes very strong and a new positive energy starts circulating in his entire life.

The slogan of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” echoed all over the world due to the efforts of PM Modi.

The Chief Minister said that India’s Yoga has today done a great job of uniting and connecting the entire humanity across the world. It has firmly established the sacred message of our rich Indian culture’s basic mantra “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The whole world is my family) and “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramaya” (May all be happy and healthy). He proudly said that International Yoga Day has got this global recognition only due to the tireless and visionary efforts of the country’s illustrious Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, the result is that crores of people in more than 190 countries of the world have adopted Indian Yoga and directly connected with it.

Uttarakhand will become a global hub of wellness with the country’s first yoga policy.

Referring to the historical importance of Uttarakhand, the Chief Minister said that our Devbhoomi has been the main land of ancient traditions of yoga, spirituality, penance and meditation of great sages for centuries. The state government is now working with a sacred and determined resolve to establish Uttarakhand as the global capital of Yoga and Wellness in the entire world. Sharing a big achievement, he said that the country’s first ‘Yoga Policy’ has been successfully implemented by the state government.

Under this revolutionary policy, a huge subsidy of up to a maximum of Rs 20 lakh is being given by the government for setting up new Yoga and Meditation Centers in the state. Along with this, a provision of special government grant of up to Rs 10 lakh has also been made to encourage high level research and studies in the field of Yoga, Meditation and Naturopathy on a large scale. Not only this, the government is rapidly developing five new state-of-the-art ‘Yoga Hubs’ across the state and round-the-clock availability of yoga services is being ensured for the general public in all the AYUSH health and wellness centers of the state.

3300 crore Sharda Corridor project will change the face of Tanakpur-Banbasa

While giving a big gift to the local people, the Chief Minister said that the main objective of organizing this state level Yoga Day program in Banbasa is to widely promote yoga, meditation and spiritual practice on this holy bank of Sharda River. He announced that the state government is working with full strength to give this entire frontier region a completely new and global identity for the development of spirituality and eco-tourism through ‘Sharda Corridor Project’.

Under this ambitious project being developed at a huge cost of about Rs 3300 crore, a very beautiful ‘Sharda River Front’ is being constructed from Tanakpur to Banbasa, in which various religious, mythological and tourist places are being modernized. Under its first phase, the redevelopment works of the grand Sharda Ghat, to be built at a cost of Rs 179 crore, has also been officially started.

Special appeal to the youth: Stay away from the evil of drugs and adopt a disciplined life.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made a very emotional and special appeal to the youth and students of the state. He said that the young generation should not limit yoga to the celebration of just one day of the year, but should make it an essential and integral part of their daily routine. The CM appealed to the youth to always stay away from dangerous social evils and vices like drugs and adopt a healthy, disciplined, positive and energetic lifestyle. He expressed full confidence that all the people of the state will definitely provide their full and active cooperation in realizing this great resolution of the government of making Devbhoomi Uttarakhand the world’s largest yoga centre.

All these senior officers of government and administration were present in the program.

On the dignified occasion of this grand and historic Yoga Day program organized in Banbasa, State Cabinet Minister and District Incharge Minister Bharat Chaudhary, District Panchayat President Anand Singh Adhikari, Secretary to the Chief Minister and Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, AYUSH Secretary Mrs. Ranjana Rajguru and Kumaon IG Mrs. Nivedita Kukreti were prominently present. Along with him, Champawat District Magistrate Manish Kumar, Superintendent of Police Rekha Yadav, Udham Singh Nagar District Magistrate Nitin Singh Bhadauria, Superintendent of Police Ajay Ganapati and Chief Development Officer (CDO) Dr. GS Khati and many other senior public representatives, army officers and top officials of the government and administration were also seen completely engrossed in yoga postures.