Lucknow, Jun 21 (IANS): The International Yoga Day is being observed at all the 12,044 Amrit Sarovars across Uttar Pradesh, a state government spokesman said.

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed that besides being developed as rural tourism hubs, the area around these ponds should also serve as Yoga centres.

According to the state government spokesman, all Amrit Sarovars in the state have been cleaned and spruced up for the event on Wednesday.

The department has also asked officials concerned to take photographs of the Yoga Day events at the Amrit Sarovars in villages and upload them on social media. Participants should also be encouraged to take photographs under the 'Selfie with Yoga' (Amrit Sarovars) programme.

The Yoga sessions are being held at the Amrit Sarovar banks, open air gyms and parks there.

Members of women self-help groups and MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) workers, other village bodies members and villagers, teachers and the village schools are briefing attendees about the benefits of Yoga.

As part of the celebration of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' (75 years of India's Independence), the Amrit Sarovar Mission was launched on April 24, 2022, with the objective of developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district across the country.

The mission aims to create a total of 50,000 water bodies, each spanning an area of about an acre or more, contributing to the preservation and enhancement of water resources.