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Not many takers for ‘CM di Yogshala’ in Ludhiana
With a target of each trainer conducting five one-hour classes every day for six days a week, the government has hired 15 instructors on one-year contract
Punjab government’s flagship programme, “CM di Yogshala,” launched in April to provide free yoga training, has garnered lacklustre response in the city. Over two months, only 1,000o people have enrolled in the programme as it fails to attract participants, primarily due to the lack of common spaces and the requirement of at least 25 participants per group.
With a target of each trainer conducting five one-hour classes every day for six days a week, the government has hired 15 instructors on one-year contract. They are catering to 51 batches across the city. Trainers say that lack of awareness among the public about the scheme necessitated active persuasion to encourage participation.
“People have been hesitant to join ever since the programme was launched. Only a few were aware of it until we approached them. The next challenge was forming groups of at least 25 people as mandated by the government and conducting five classes every day,” said trainer Ritambhari, who is only able to conduct only four classes every day.
Trainers expressed difficulties in finding suitable locations to conduct yoga sessions. Although the programme suggests that volunteers should offer their spaces, public places like parks and temple grounds are preferred to ensure accessibility for all participants.
“Each batch accommodates 25 to 40 participants, requiring adequate space for various asanas and creating a suitable environment. With more awareness, it is expected that the number of batches and their size will increase in coming months,” shared another trainer, Geeta.
Although the scheme is open to all age groups, trainers say that the majority of participants are aged 40 and above, trying to get relief from age-related and lifestyle disorders.
Rajwinder Kaur, 64-year-old resident of Guru Angad Colony, said, “I have been practicing yoga for over a month and it has significantly improved my health. I can sleep better and feel active.
Mona, a 40-year-old resident of Haibowal, who has been part of CM di Yogshala for nearly two months, said, “I was experiencing mobility issues but with the professional trainers teaching various asanas, my condition has improved significantly.”
Residents have suggested that reducing the group size to 15 participants will make it easier for individuals to offer their spaces and form groups at their convenience.
“I feel the government should reduce the batch size as it becomes harder to gather and accommodate larger groups. Shorter batches will help address these issues and ensure that everyone can benefit from the scheme,” said Dolly Vohra, a resident of Dholewal.
While full-time instructors get a monthly salary of ₹20,000, part-time instructors, who are mandated to conducted three classes per day, earn ₹20,000 per month.
