The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday (29 Jan) approved a major welfare initiative to provide cashless medical treatment to nearly 15 lakh teachers, non-teaching staff and their dependent family members associated with the state’s Basic and Secondary Education Departments.
Under the scheme, beneficiaries will be entitled to cashless in-patient (IPD) treatment at government healthcare facilities as well as empanelled private hospitals, following a model similar to the Ayushman Bharat programme. The total financial outlay for the initiative is estimated at around ₹448 crore.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the scheme, which was announced by the Chief Minister on Teachers’ Day in 2025, has now received formal Cabinet approval.
While the move is being viewed as a significant welfare step for educators, it also comes at a politically crucial time, ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and the upcoming elections to six Member of Legislative Council seats from Teachers’ Constituencies, where teachers form the core electorate.
Eligibility and coverage
Teachers working in aided institutions under the Secondary Education Department including vocational subject experts, honorary teachers, staff of institutions recognised by the Secondary Education Council and the Sanskrit Education Council, and vocational instructors engaged on an honorarium basis will be covered under the scheme, along with their dependents. According to Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi, this category includes over 2.97 lakh beneficiaries, with an estimated annual expenditure of ₹89.25 crore.
In addition, teachers, Shiksha Mitras, special educators and instructors employed in schools run or recognised by the Basic Education Council including aided and self-financed institutions will also be eligible. The coverage extends to wardens and full-time or part-time teachers of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, as well as cooks working under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Yojana, along with their dependent family members. Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh said more than 11.95 lakh teachers and staff in this category would benefit, with an annual cost of ₹358.61 crore and an average premium of about ₹3,000 per employee.
Hospitals and treatment norms
The cashless treatment facility will be available at government hospitals and private hospitals empanelled with the State Agency for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services (SACHIS). Treatment rates will be aligned with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and guidelines issued by the National Health Authority.
Teachers employed in self-financed but recognised institutions will be granted benefits after verification. For this purpose, district-level committees will be set up under the chairmanship of the District Inspector of Schools and the Basic Education Officer.
Exclusions
The state government clarified that employees and dependents already covered under any other central or state government health insurance scheme including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana or the Chief Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyan will not be eligible for coverage under this scheme.
Minister Khanna added that of the 32 proposals placed before the Cabinet during the meeting, 30 were approved.
