Chandigarh, June 27- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal has directed the officers to increase the activity of youth clubs in running Yogashalas/Vyayamashalas  in rural areas, for this, the Rural Development Department should immediately map villages having registered youth clubs.

The Chief Minister was presiding over a review meeting of various departments regarding the construction, transfer and maintenance of Yogashalas/Vyayamashalas  here today. Home, Health and AYUSH Minister, Sh. Anil Vij was also present during the meeting.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed that in the first phase, 1000 Yogashalas/Vyayamashalas are to be constructed, out of which the construction work of 729 has been completed. 648 Yoga Assistants have been appointed who are imparting Yoga training to the people.

The Chief Minister directed the officers to make a category of Yogashalas/Vyayamashala so that they can be evaluated and the concept of Adarsh Vyayamashala can be realised. He said that the objective of this scheme is to connect the rural youth with traditional sports.

It was apprised in the meeting that the Rural Development Department was given the responsibility of getting the work done from the state fund. From now, it will be done in a 20:80 ratio. Under the scheme's framework, it is mandatory for Yogashalas/Vyayamashala to have boundary walls, walking tracks, sheds for yoga, etc.

The Chief Minister said that the Chief Executive Officers of the Zilla Parishads should be given the overall responsibility of monitoring the Yogashalas/Vyayamashala. He said that the sports, Ayush, Rural Development Department should be entrusted with the work of maintenance of Yogashalas/Vyayamashala in two to four districts in a phased manner.

Sh. Manohar Lal said that stringent action will be taken against those yoga assistants who are not doing their work properly. He said that on the advice of the Haryana Yog Aayog, yoga practitioners trained by Patanjali were appointed as yoga assistants on an honorarium of Rs. 11,000, now their honorarium has been enhanced to Rs. 17,000 after engaging them under HKRN. The Chief Minister said that the district-wise appointment of yoga assistants should also be rationalised.

Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. D S Dhesi, Additional Chief Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, Sh. Anil Malik, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr. G. Anupama, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. V Umashankar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Amit Agrawal, Director General of AYUSH Department, Dr. Saket Kumar, Director General of Development and Panchayats Department, Sh. DK Behera, Director, Sports, and Special Secretary to Sports Department, Sh. Yashendra Singh and other officers were present.