Ramdev's Rs 1,000 cr-scheme to begin in MP

Bhopal, Dec 18 (UNI) Implementation of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's ambitious Rs 1,000-crore scheme, for setting up a Yoga peeth and university in Madhya Pradesh, is likely to begin next year.

''The second phase of discussions in this regard, with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today at his residence, was extremely positive. About 1,000 hectares will be required and Mr Chouhan has authorised Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi to provide final shape to the procedure relating to selection of land and other formalities,'' he told reporters here.

Claiming that Yoga and Ayurveda would be the basis of the Patanjali Yoga Peeth and University, Ramdev added that 5,000 students will be initially trained in Yoga and the number would soon be enhanced to 20,000.

''A herb-based agricultural system will provide thousands of impoverished farmers with an opportunity for better employment,'' he felt.

Responding to a question, Ramdev said that Madhya Pradesh was selected for the project mainly due to its geography, climate, philosophical setting and the regime's positive stance.

''I would like to clarify that I have urged the government to provide only land, not finance. The Patanjali Yoga Trust will implement the project whose target is to coach 10 lakh trainers,'' he claimed.

Maintaining that not only complex and so-called incurable ailments but also AIDS could be cured by Yoga and Ayurveda, Ramdev added that he would soon place unimpeachable evidence before the world.

Reacting to allegations of commercialisation of Yoga, he wondered why there should be any objection to attempts to take Yoga to the masses.

UNI SD-AC 1839