In a major announcement on Thursday, Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss said that the Central Government is planning to make yoga compulsory in all schools as well as colleges, including private institutions.

While inaugurating a seminar on “disease control priorities in India,”, organised by D G Vaishnav College, Dr. Anbumani stated that pupils should understand the value of yoga that had been known to thwart lots of health-related troubles including hypertension plus heart diseases.

Dr. Anbumani also warned that change in weather would be the biggest challenge to the entire world, which could bring more health troubles.

While referring to the posts in government hospitals, Dr. Anbumani stated that his ministry was filling them up by employing physicians and nurses on contract basis.

“The national urban health mission scheme which is going to be inaugurated in a month will primarily concentrate on slum dwellers in urban areas. Totally about 22 crore people, including six crore from slums, will benefited by the scheme,” the minister added.

He also pointed out that approx 10 lakh Indians died each year because of tobacco consumption of which five lakh had cancer.

He added that the smoking ban was intended for defending public health, and said people should also avoid drugs, alcohol and fast food.

“Earlier, the age when one was initiated into alcohol consumption was 28. This later came down to 19 and now it is as low as 13. Presently, about 40 per cent of the road accidents in the country occur due to drunken driving,” he said.

Urging the press and the media to exercise self-restraint, he blamed a media section for airing rumors regarding the recent polio immunization programme.

“Such people should be treated as offenders and booked under the National Security Act,” he said.

The minister claimed that the administration had been successful in eliminating diseases like leprosy and polio and said it was continuing efforts to maintain public health.