Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 29 : In a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government approved a significant welfare measure that allows teachers, non-teaching staff, and their dependent families to access cashless treatment at both government and private hospitals.
Under this initiative, cashless inpatient (IPD) treatment facilities will be extended to a broad range of educators and staff. This includes teachers and vocational subject experts in aided schools under the Secondary Education Department, along with honorary teachers.
The benefit also covers staff in aided and self-financed schools recognised by the Sanskrit Education Council and the Secondary Education Council. Furthermore, vocational subject experts working on an honorarium basis in both government and aided secondary schools are now eligible, and their family members will also be able to avail of this facility.
Additionally, the scheme extends to para-teachers, special educators, and instructors working in schools under or recognised by the Basic Education Council, whether aided or self-financed. This coverage includes wardens, full-time and part-time teachers at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, cooks under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Yojana, and their dependents.
Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi stated that more than 2.97 lakh people will benefit from this initiative, with an estimated expenditure of ₹89.25 crore. Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh noted that the scheme will benefit over 11.95 lakh people from the Basic Education Council alone, with an annual expenditure estimated at ₹358.61 crore, based on a premium of approximately ₹3,000 per employee.
Altogether, this decision is set to benefit approximately 1.5 million teachers and staff, with a total annual expenditure of roughly ₹448 crore.
Cashless treatment will be available at government hospitals and empanelled private hospitals. Treatment rates will align with standards set by the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana and the National Health Authority.
For teachers of self-financed recognised schools, benefits will be granted after verification. A committee will be formed in each district, chaired by the District Inspector of Schools and the Basic Education Officer, to handle these verifications. It has also been clarified that individuals already covered under other state or central health schemes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Jan Arogya Yojana or the Chief Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyan, are not eligible for this scheme.