In all probability a stress test carried out on state MLAs and ministers as soon as they walk out of a stormy assembly session would show that the elected representatives are a prime candidate for cardiac troubles. Add to it, the pressures of long working hours, stinging media reports and miles of travelling. |
But Gujarat CM Narendra Modi has an answer. After taking his cabinet colleagues to a training session on building a corporate Gujarat at Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) around a year back, now they are being herded to a health, lifestyle and stress management workshop. |
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On behest of Modi, the state health department has engaged an Ahmedabad-based healthcare consultancy, Medico Media, to help ministers and MLAs improve their lifestyle and de-stress them. |
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A workshop on 'Health, Lifestyle and Stress Management,' would be held at Vidhan Sabha, on February 8 and 9, and it is expected that inspite of a stormy assembly session, 250 odd MLAs would take part in the workshop. |
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"The MLAs and ministers nowadays work under a lot of pressure and stress, and they being representatives of the public, they play an important and influential role. Through effective health management, they can be a source of health and vitality thus leading to a positive impact on the health of entire communities in their respective constituencies," said Meena Shah, a physician and healthcare consultant, who has been engaged to render help to the public representatives. |
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Besides understanding the various ways to handle increasing stress on the people's representatives, they would also be made aware about better inter-personal relationship and good habits. |
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On day one, the politicians would attend an interactive and live session and will share their attitudes and concerns regarding health and healthcare. It would be followed by 'ice-breaker' exercises in group and an interactive session on 'holistic health and its relevance today,' with a round of prayer. |
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"The attitude of a young MLA and a senior member towards health would not be the same and people coming from various parts of the state will also have different lifestyle. So a synchronisation is required and they would be given a talk on 'healthy by choice and not chance.' The workshop would also discuss about good appearance and a positive attitude and ways to increase work efficiency and effective stress management," said a source close to the health department. |
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It may be recalled that about a year back, Modi and his cabinet colleagues and later the bureaucrats had undergone a rigorous training session at IIM-A, covering subjects such as good governance and introduction of corporate culture in state government's way of functioning. |
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This is the second such workshop being organised, and for the first time for the MLAs as the earlier programme with IIM-A covered only the ministers and senior officers. |
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