LUCKNOW, March 11 -- Uttar Pradesh government has decided to provide cashless medical facilities to teaching and non-teaching staff in the higher education sector. The scheme will cover teachers in regular and self-financed courses, those working in non-governmental aided colleges under the higher education department, teachers in recognised self-financed colleges and those in state universities, said higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay, briefing about the cabinet decision on Tuesday. Acting on the CM's directives, non-teaching staff members will also be included in this scheme. Cashless medical facilities will be made available to teachers and their dependent family members not only in government hospitals, but also in affiliated private hospitals, said Upadhyay. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had announced the provision of cashless medical facilities for higher education teachers on September 5, 2025 (Teachers' Day). Upadhyay informed that under this scheme, the premium cost per teacher and non-teaching staff member will amount to Rs.2,479.70. Approximately over 2,00,000 teachers and non-teaching staff members across the state are expected to benefit from this scheme, entailing an annual expenditure of approximately Rs.50 crore for the government. The funding for this expenditure will be allocated from the budget of the department of higher education. He said this scheme will be administered through the State Agency for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services (SACHIS). Under this scheme, beneficiaries will be entitled to cashless medical facilities up to a value of Rs.5 lakh, with rates determined in accordance with the standards established by the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Arogya Yojana and the National Health Authority. The minister further informed that details regarding the beneficiaries of this scheme-including both teaching and non-teaching staff - as well as their dependents, will be furnished to SACHIS by the department of higher education annually, by June 30. Individuals who are already covered under any other health scheme of the central or state government (such as the Pradhan Mantri or Chief Minister's Arogya Yojana) will not be eligible to avail benefits of this particular scheme. He emphasised that UP government is consistently taking thoughtful decisions to uphold the dignity and ensure social security of teaching and non-teaching staff....