BJP MLA Rajeshwar Singh has urged the federal government to enact legislation mandating compulsory physical training periods in schools to help combat rising obesity and diabetes among children.
A member of parliament from Uttar Pradesh wrote to federal education minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier this week to express his concern over the issue, stating that “there is no single law governing all schools in India.” rice field.
“I propose that Congress introduce legislation to govern the inclusion, access and provision of basic physical health and fitness to all children in the education system.
“The proposed law should require all such institutions to have a daily 45-minute time slot dedicated to providing physical fitness to all students through yoga, exercise, sports and physical activity, etc. Singh wrote in the letter, citing relevant official data.
The MLA from the Sarojini Nagar seat in Lucknow cites data that about 5-8.8% of Indian school children are obese and if this proportion continues to increase at this pace, India could have 27 million by 2030. of obese children will live there.
In a letter dated December 14, he wrote that childhood obesity is particularly troublesome because it has ramifications that lead to many health problems, such as diabetes, once thought to be an adult problem. increase.
“It is an indisputable reality that in an increasingly competitive environment, children are becoming highly focused on academic excellence.
“For this very reason, we must ensure that schools make physical education practice an integral part of the academic curriculum itself,” he said.
He also said that student health parameters should be made an “essential part” of student progress reporting, thereby mainstreaming student physical and mental well-being as an integral part of overall progress. rice field. Limited to academic excellence.
He said some steps have been taken in the past to address the problem of lack of physical activity in schools.In September, more needs to be done on this front.
According to Singh, the children are left in school from 6 am to 3 pm every day, which puts not only mental but also physical health on them. “When they get home, they are overwhelmed with academic homework and tests, which further limits their physical activity. It is the full responsibility of the school to mandate,” he wrote.
Singh, a former law enforcement officer and UP police officer, also said that public representatives such as MPs and MLAs should be “encouraged” to participate in school athletic meets in their respective constituencies, and that mass I suggested that a media campaign should be launched to spread the message of good physical health. among school-going children.
(This article is not edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)