PM reviews preparations of International Yoga Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a review meeting with senior officials of AYUSH Ministry on the preparations of International Yoga Day on June 21 even as the main event at Chandigarh has recorded more than a lakh registrations.
During the meeting, Modi, who will be participating in the event at the Chandigarh Capitol complex, was briefed about various arrangements being made for the function.
"The venue can accommodate 30,000 people but registration has reached 1,20,000. So there will be a deep selection. The fact that people are competing to participate in a yoga event is itself commendable," Secretary AYUSH, Ajit Sharan, told PTI.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh Ajit Balaji Joshi, the registration for the event started on May 14 and was open till June 8. "96,000 people registered online for the event," he said.
Vinita Gupta, director of the department in Chandigarh, said people participating at Capitol Complex have already been earmarked. All those who have registered for the event but are not able to participate at the main venue will be doing yoga at various other locations across the city, she added.
"During the dress rehearsal if we see that someone is not performing up to the mark we can always replace him/her from among those who have registered," Gupta said.

A total of 180 training centres has been set up across Chandigarh and will also be serving as a venue for the event.
Sharan also said that no request has been received so far to declare a holiday on June 21. As it is summer vacations are on and schools and colleges are closed and offices start by 9 AM and Yoga event will be over by 8 AM, he added.
Last week, Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik had said if demands were made to declare June 21 a holiday he would request the Prime Minister to do so.