Shimla, Jan 5 (IANS) Yoga guru Swami Ramdev is to set up the second ‘Patanjali Yogpeeth’ — yoga training and treatment centre — in Himachal Pradesh and help promote the medicinal herbs grown in the state, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said Tuesday.
“Swami Ramdev has decided to set up the second ‘yogpeeth’ in Solan district,” Dhumal said in an official release.

Dhumal was in Haridwar in Uttarakhand to attend a function organised by the ‘Patanjali Yogpeeth’ there.

The chief minister said the Patanjali Yogpeeth would procure medicinal herbs from the growers in the state for making herbal medicines.

“The farmers would get good remunerative prices by selling the herbs directly to the ‘yogpeeth’. Moreover, it would also market 700 tonnes of apple juice concentrate through its sales counters across the country,” Dhumal said.

Himachal Pradesh is known to be a grower of herbs and a large number of people depend on the cultivation and collection of herbs for their livelihood.

The government is also promoting the plantation of indigenous species, especially medicinal plants on a large scale, to transform the hill state into a herbal zone.

Saplings of more than 55 indigenous species like neem, banyan, jamun and peepal were planted during special drives last year.