Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare recently met Kiren Rijiju, MoS (I/c) Youth Affairs and Sports for charting the convergent actions of the two Ministries for greater visibility and synergy towards popularising fitness in the country in various age groups.

He stated, “In a significant move, it has been decided that there shall be convergence of activities of the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare, and Youth Affairs and Sports for giving thrust to the national ‘Fit India’ movement, that was launched by Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji earlier this year to encourage people to remain healthy and fit by including physical activities and sports in their daily lives.”

He added that the Ministry shall be engaging with all institutions of the Health Ministry along with other medical institutions and organisations such as IMA to create nationwide consciousness about fitness and wellness. The Ministry shall also actively engage with the state governments, the state Health Ministers and principals of various medical colleges. Additionally, this shall be taken forward with the frontline health functionaries that implement the NationalHealth Mission (NHM) in close association with the communities.

This becomes all the more significant as world over the burden of non-communicable disease is growing due to our changing patter of lifestyle.

Preeti Sudan, Secretary, Health & Family Welfare; Radheyshyam Julaniya, Sports Secretary; Pawan Agarwal, CEO (FSSAI) and senior officers of the Health Ministry were also present during the meeting.