To promote cycling as a regular physical activity, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said he would reach out to the Ministries of Road Transport and Highways and Urban Development for creating dedicated cycle tracks along roads.
Speaking at the release of a study ‘Pedalling towards a Greener India: A Report on Promoting Cycling in the Country’, prepared by The Energy and Resources Institute, Dr. Vardhan said 45 per cent of health problems are on account of lack of physical activity.
Advocating dedicated cycling tracks, the report has called for waiving taxes on cycles for low-income population (bicycles costing less than Rs. 5,000) and providing microfinance to promote bicycle ownership in India.
It also recommended that the government come up with a policy mechanism for the cycle industry to make it globally competitive.
