The Chief Minister said 'Surya Namaskar' and yoga would help in keeping students healthy.

Defending `surya namaskar’ made mandatory in government schools in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said it was good for health, and had nothing to do with religion as was being made out.

Inaugurating the National Arogya Mela here on Friday, Ms. Raje said 'surya namaskar' and yoga would help in keeping students healthy.

The Rajasthan Government last week made yoga, including 'surya namaskar' mandatory in government schools during morning assembly. The decision drew flak with Yunus Khan, the State Transport Minister, saying that it should be voluntary.

``With the world now having recognized the power of AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) and the UN declaring June 21 as the World Yoga Day, it is high time India and Rajasthan promote and expand AYUSH capabilities and be the Medical Hub of the world,’’ the Chief Minister said. Traditional Indian systems are capable of even during the deadliest diseases of the world, which are incurable in allopathy,’’ she added.

Speaking on the occasion, Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Health said the Centre was in the process of preparing a Health Policy which would be notified soon. He said the new policy had focus on AYUSH systems considering its long history of use by the communities.

He said India could bring about a revolution in healthcare and be a leader to the world if we were able to capitalize the strengths of AYUSH systems of medicines by promoting, supporting and spreading awareness about AYUSH practitioners.

The four-day fair will focus on ten common diseases including lifestyle diseases.