Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 21 (ANI): Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to popularise yoga globally, saying the International Day of Yoga has become a mass movement that promotes physical and mental well-being and has received overwhelming participation across the country.

Speaking in Mumbai after participating in Yoga Day celebrations, Goyal said large numbers of people turned out for the event, particularly in West Bengal, where he described the scenes as 'incredible.'

'We have all celebrated International Day of Yoga. In West Bengal, the scene was incredible, with hundreds of thousands of people turning out in such large numbers,' he said.

The Union Minister said yoga helps maintain both physical and mental balance and recalled that Prime Minister Modi had encouraged him to practise yoga and pranayam during the COVID-19 pandemic. Commenting on the arrival of the monsoon in Maharashtra, Goyal termed the rainfall an 'auspicious sign' and said good rains would ensure better crop production, strengthening the country's food and economic security.

'The way the clouds have poured, and the monsoon has arrived, bringing this rain, I feel it is a very auspicious sign. Good rainfall across the country ensures bountiful crops for our farmers and strengthens both our food security and economic security,' he said.

Goyal also praised Prime Minister Modi's leadership, saying the country was moving steadily towards the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who participated in the Yoga Day celebrations at the Parliament complex in New Delhi, described the occasion as historic and congratulated Prime Minister Modi for transforming yoga into a global movement.

'It is a very historic day that I'm doing yoga in the Parliament complex for the first time. Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has made yoga such a big movement for peace, harmony and health that the whole world is standing with it,' Prasad said.

Addressing the main ceremony of the 12th International Day of Yoga at Kolkata's Red Road, PM Modi said the theme of 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing' should not be viewed as being limited to senior citizens but should inspire people of all age groups to pursue lifelong wellness. The Prime Minister said, 'When we speak of Yoga for healthy ageing, it means that we can work to ensure that age doesn't reduce human potential. Yoga can help human life aspire for constant growth. Our target must be to be more flexible at 40 than we were at 20. Our target must be more energetic at 50 than we were at 30. Our target must be to be more resistant to lifestyle diseases at 70 than we were at 50. This is where Yoga can help us.' Recognising its universal appeal and benefits, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014. The proposal, introduced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the 69th session of the UN, was supported by 175 member states. The first observance was held on 21st June 2015. (ANI)