Chandigarh, Jul 5 (IANS): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday inaugurated 98 exercise centres through video link, raising the number of such facilities in the state to 511.

The work on 300 exercise centres is expected to be completed soon.

The Chief Minister said 1,000 park-cum-exercise centres would be set up in the state this year and Rs 250 crore budgetary provision had been made for that.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for promoting AYUSH health and wellness centres, the state planned to set up such facilities at all the exercise centres for achieving comprehensive healthcare, he said.

Acknowledging the benefit of yoga in day-to-day life, he said the government had decided to set up exercise centres in 1,000 of the 6,500 gram panchayats in the first phase.

To ensure participation of the panchayati raj institutions in the development process, Khattar said upkeep of exercise centres would be handed over to the Zila Parishads.

AYUSH assistants would be recruited at the district level for creating awareness among the people about immunity and Ayurvedic medicinal plants would be grown at the exercise centre complexes.