New Delhi, Aug 10 Under the 'Panchayat Fit India - Sundays on Cycle' initiative, youth and fitness enthusiasts from across the country gathered at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya flagged off the campaign and urged people to embrace cycling as part of their daily lives.
He said the event was held under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mission, where 'Sunday on Cycle with Panchayat' was organised as part of the Fit India Championship, drawing significant participation from rural areas.
"Cycling is the solution to pollution, it is the mantra of Fit India, it saves petrol, and is the best form of exercise. Hence, people should adopt cycling in their daily routine to stay fit. This way, we will move closer to achieving the resolution of Viksit Bharat," Mandaviya told reporters.
He further said that PM Modi's Fit India movement has now expanded into a major campaign nationwide in the form of 'Sundays on Cycle'.
"Today, panchayat representatives from over 50,000 villages participated by cycling to promote the message of Fit India," he said.
Mandaviya added that the growing participation from both urban and rural areas reflected the scale of the movement.
"This shows that this campaign has now turned into a massive movement, with not only city residents but also a large number of villagers joining the championship. We are glad that people are now focusing more on fitness," he said.
Panchayat members who attended the event also shared their thoughts. They expressed that such initiatives should be replicated regularly to spread awareness in rural communities about the importance of staying fit.
Panchayat member Krishna Yadav told IANS, "If we hold cycling competitions every Sunday for men and others in the community, it will inspire more people to ride bicycles regularly and maintain physical fitness."
Another panchayat member, Rishi Bhutani, shared his personal connection with fitness.
"This cycling event has been great. I have been going to the gym for many years, and I am very passionate about fitness. Whenever we talk about fitness, especially Fit India, we often think only about physical health, but mental fitness is equally important. For that, we must pay special attention to our diet," he said.
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