PANJIM: The Ministry of AYUSH expects that government-backed certification for yoga professionals will increase footfalls of tourists, particularly foreign nationals across different parts of the country.
AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik said that the demand for certification also came from tourism stakeholders in a bid to increase duration of stay of tourists. “There have been demands from the tourism sector on certification of yoga instructors. This move is likely to increase arrivals instead of casual visits to yoga centres as the tourists will come pre-planned to attend the classes which can be short term or long term,” he told a press conference on Friday.
The certification would be granted by Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of AYUSH that has also recently advertised for walk-in-interviews for the post of yoga instructors.
Considering that many private yoga classes are not within the reach of middle or low income groups, the Ministry is also contemplating to set up free camps for the people. In Goa, the ministry has proposed to launch centres in around 5 public parks that will impart free yoga training to the people.
The Ministry has also proposed another project to establish All India Institute of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy Hospitals in Goa. Naik informed the reporters that the institute will have 250 beds catering to over 500 students offering under graduate, post graduate and doctorate degrees. “Ayurveda will have a 100 bed facility, naturopathy PD for 150 beds and the yoga department will be with facility of diabetic clinic, cardiac care unit including yoga therapy for 30 patients. The institute includes medical college for ayurveda, naturopathy and yoga which has hostel facility for 67 rooms for doctors and 91 rooms for 182 students,” he said.
With a total cost estimated at around Rs 301 crore, the project is set to come up at Dhargal in Pernem. A light house project is also on the anvil to focus on research works.
