CM Yogi govt's big decision in Cabinet Meeting | 15 lakh teachers and staff to get cashless treatment in private hospitals
Lucknow: The state government has extended major relief to lakhs of employees associated with the education sector. In the cabinet meeting held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, approval was granted to provide cashless medical treatment to teachers, non-teaching staff, and their dependent family members working under the Secondary and Basic Education Departments. The cashless facility will be available in both government hospitals and private hospitals.
Notably, the Chief Minister had announced this initiative on Teachers’ Day last year, and the cabinet has now formally approved it. Around 15 lakh teachers and non-teaching employees linked to the Basic and Secondary Education Department are expected to benefit from this decision. The total estimated expenditure for the scheme is approximately ₹448 crore. Briefing the media, Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said that 32 proposals were placed before the cabinet, of which 30 received approval.
Under this decision, teachers working in aided institutions under the Secondary Education Department, including vocational education subject experts and honorary teachers, teachers of aided institutions recognized by the Sanskrit Education Council, teachers of self-financed institutions recognized by the Secondary Education Council and the Sanskrit Education Council, and vocational education subject experts working on an honorarium basis in government and aided schools will be eligible for cashless in-patient (IPD) treatment. Their dependents will also be covered under the scheme. Addressing the press, Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi stated that over 2.97 lakh beneficiaries would be covered under this category, with an estimated expenditure of ₹89.25 crore.
Similarly, teachers, Shiksha Mitras, special educators, instructors working in schools run or recognized by the Basic Education Council (aided and self-financed), wardens and full-time or part-time teachers of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, as well as cooks engaged under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Yojana, along with their dependents, will also be covered. Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh informed that more than 11.95 lakh teachers and staff associated with the Basic Education Council would benefit from the scheme. The annual financial outlay for this component is estimated at ₹358.61 crore, with an average annual premium of around ₹3,000 per employee.
The cashless treatment facility will be available in government hospitals and private hospitals under SACHIS. Treatment rates will be aligned with those prescribed under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and norms of the National Health Authority. Teachers working in self-financed, recognized institutions will receive benefits after due verification. For this purpose, district-level committees will be constituted under the chairmanship of the District Inspector of Schools and the Basic Education Officer.
It was also clarified that employees and dependents already covered under any other central or state government health scheme, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana or the Chief Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyan, will not be eligible for benefits under this scheme.
