The total expenditure on SMSes sent to mobile users all across India by the government to promote International Yoga Day was nearly Rs 16 crores, an RTI reply has said.
In the text messages, the government persuaded Indians to adopt Yoga into their lifestyle saying it enriches one’s physical and mental health.
The messages had been sent to mobile users on a consistent basis at least 4-5 days before the celebrations on June 21.
Earlier last week, it emerged that the government spent more than Rs 92 lakh in order to procure mats for International Yoga Day (IYD) celebrations at Rajpath on June 21. The government had also earlier said that the total expenditure on organising the Yoga Day was around Rs 32 crores.
“The Ministry of AYUSH procured 37,000 yoga mats on the occasion of celebrations of IYD on June 21 at Rajpath through the agency Ms Arch Concept Pvt Ltd hired for event management activity through open tender basis,” AYUSH minister Shripad Naik had said in a written reply to Parliament.
“The total amount spent on purchase of 37,000 yoga mats is Rs.92,50,000 plus taxes,” Naik had clarified.
With more than 35,000 people participating, the IYD celebrations at Rajpath had made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest yoga demonstration at a single venue.