The Andhra Pradesh government has launched an elaborate programme titled 'Yogaandhra-2026' to mark International Yoga Day on June 21, setting a target of engaging one crore citizens across the state in yoga activities, from village level to the state capital.

The flagship event will be held in Amaravati, where 25,000 participants are expected to gather for a state-level yoga session. In the fortnight leading up to the day, awareness drives, walkathons, social media campaigns, and demonstration events will be conducted under the Yogaandhra banner from June 7 to June 20.

District-wise thematic approach

In what officials describe as a distinctive feature of this year's observance, each of the state's 28 districts has been assigned a specific community or occupational group as its theme. NTR district will conduct sessions with police personnel, while East Godavari will involve prison inmates. Visakhapatnam's programme is themed around serving and retired defence personnel, and Alluri Sitarama Raju district will focus on tribal communities.

Other notable pairings include Kurnool with sanitation workers, Tirupati with celebrities, Anantapur with persons with disabilities, and YSR Kadapa with multi-generational family participation. Guntur district's sessions will centre on engineering students, while Prakasam will engage DWACRA women's groups. Each district headquarters is required to ensure a minimum of 1,000 participants.

Infrastructure and digital outreach

Competitions in yoga will be held at village, mandal, district, and state levels, with participation open to students, athletes, women's self-help groups, health workers, and industrial labourers, among others. Venues including schools, parks, community halls, stadiums, and gram sachivalayams will be equipped with drinking water, seating, and temporary shelters.

Oversight of the programme at the district level has been entrusted to the respective Collectors. The Tourism Department has been directed to organise special yoga demonstrations at more than 100 tourist sites across the state.

To streamline participation, the government plans to develop a dedicated web portal and an AI-based registration and verification application. Digital certificates will be issued to all participants upon completion.

AMARAVATI, APRIL 29: The Central Government has released ₹207.03 crore as the first instalment of its share under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) for Andhra Pradesh, towards strengthening the livelihoods of women members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) operating under the DWACRA framework and implemented through the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).

BJP State President PVN Madhav welcomed the development and conveyed his gratitude to the Central Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the timely release of funds.

Total outlay of ₹690 crore for 2026-27

According to Mr. Madhav, a total of ₹690 crore is expected to be made available to SHGs in the State under DAY-NRLM for the financial year 2026-27. The Centre's first instalment of ₹207.03 crore will be supplemented by the State Government's matching grant of 40 per cent, which is to be released shortly, he said.

The funds are intended to support rural women in improving their economic standing, expanding self-employment opportunities, and enabling their transition towards micro-entrepreneurship, Mr. Madhav stated.

Women's empowerment a priority, says Madhav

Emphasising the Centre's commitment to women's economic empowerment, Mr. Madhav said the Modi government had consistently accorded priority to programmes that strengthen grassroots-level women's collectives. "These funds will play a decisive role in consolidating the gains of the SHG movement in Andhra Pradesh and in building a more resilient rural economy," he said.

The DAY-NRLM, implemented through SERP in Andhra Pradesh, is one of the largest institutional platforms for rural women's livelihoods in the country, with DWACRA SHGs serving as its foundational unit at the village level.