CM Yogi Launches Mukhyamantri Shikshak Cashless Health Scheme For 12 Lakh UP Education Personnel

Varanasi, July 8: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath showered from the land of Baba Vishwanath during the month of Ashadha. He announced major benefits for teachers, non-teaching staff, their dependents, children, contractual employees, and others. The CM also appealed to teachers, stating, "Create a disciplined environment and shape children through hard work and affection. If the future of the country is bright, every citizen's future will also be bright. The school environment should appear clean, beautiful, disciplined, and filled with spiritual radiance. You take care of the children, and the Government will take care of you. Every child should attend school. This is the responsibility of citizens, teachers, Shikshamitras, and instructors."

The CM also urged other Government departments and the private sector to provide social security guarantees to their employees.

On Wednesday, CM Yogi launched the Mukhyamantri Shikshak Cashless Chikitsa Yojana, providing health security to 12 lakh teachers, non-teaching employees, and their dependents. The Chief Minister also transferred a total of Rs 1,320 crore to the bank accounts of parents of 1.10 crore students at the rate of Rs 1,200 per student for uniforms, shoes, socks, sweaters, school bags, and stationery. On the occasion, an MoU was also signed with the State Bank of India to provide social security cover to 10 lakh teachers and contractual employees. The programme was organised at 404 locations across the state.

Referring to the amount transferred for two sets of uniforms, school bags, books, sweaters, shoes, socks, and other essentials, CM Yogi told teachers, "It is your responsibility to ensure that schools look clean and pleasant. To maintain internal discipline in schools, children should come wearing the prescribed uniform, shoes, socks, and sweaters during winter. Yesterday, in some places, small children were seen bathing in the rain while wearing their uniforms. Children are innocent. It is the duty and national responsibility of teachers to guide them on the right path. Teachers should tell children to wear each uniform for 3 days."

He continues by saying, if it becomes dirty, they should wash it. They should wear different clothes while playing and should not continue wearing their school shoes and socks after returning home to play. If you educate them about school and daily habits, it will inspire children and also help take the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission to greater heights.

The CM assured that no child would be deprived of this benefit even after fresh admissions.

The CM stated, "The Basic and Secondary Education Departments have signed an MoU with the State Bank of India to provide social security guarantees to every teacher, Shikshamitra, and instructor. Uttar Pradesh is the first state to implement this. Permanent teachers and employees with a salary exceeding Rs 10,000 will receive a Group Term Insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh, which includes a Personal Accident Cover of Rs 1 crore, a Permanent Disability Cover of Rs 1 crore, an Air Accident Insurance Cover of Rs 1.6 crore, and add-on cover for children's education and daughters' marriages in case of any untoward incident."

He further added, contractual employees (with a salary above Rs 10,000) will receive Personal Accident Insurance Cover ranging from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 80 lakh, insurance cover of Rs 30 lakh to Rs 15 lakh in case of permanent or partial disability, Air Accident Insurance Cover ranging from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 80 lakh, and add-on cover for children's education and daughters' marriages in case of any untoward incident. Employees with a net monthly salary below Rs 10,000 will receive insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh through a zero-balance account ATM card or a Personal Accident Policy. This will also extend benefits to low-salaried employees. The State Government will make an annual payment of Rs 450 crore for the cashless facility."

The Chief Minister stated, Uttar Pradesh always had potential. At one time, teachers from Uttar Pradesh served in many states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Once, when I asked Union Minister Kiren Rijiju why everyone there spoke such good Hindi, he told me that all their teachers had come from Uttar Pradesh. During a visit to Madhya Pradesh, I found that people from districts such as Aligarh, Etah, Kasganj, Etawah, Hathras, Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, and Mainpuri were working there. When I interacted with them, I learned that their ancestors had come there as teachers. But there also came a time when some people destroyed Uttar Pradesh's education system for their personal interests.

He said, "Education is the foundation of society. Without it, nothing is possible. Prime Minister Modi has told the people that education will be the foundation for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. For this, he implemented the National Education Policy based on India's traditions. Nothing can be achieved without education. It was the neglect of education that turned Uttar Pradesh into a BIMARU state. 9 years ago, those seeking jobs were looked down upon outside Uttar Pradesh, but due to the efforts of the double engine Government, that identity crisis no longer exists. Investment in education never goes waste. As education has improved, Uttar Pradesh is now progressing rapidly."

The Chief Minister added, today, Uttar Pradesh has a cheating-free education system, but earlier the situation was very strange. Secondary education examinations used to continue for two to three months, and the results would take another two to three months. Half the year was wasted, and the remaining time would pass in festivals and other activities. When would students study? Now, examinations are completed within 14 days and the results are declared within the next 15 days. Everything is completed within a month. Around 56 lakh students appear in these examinations.

He remarked, "Earlier, people from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and other states used to come to Ballia, Ghazipur, Mau, and Azamgarh to take examinations. It made us realise that something was seriously wrong. We shut down all such centres that were playing with the future of the youth of Uttar Pradesh and other states."

Taking a dig, the CM added, a leader from Uttar Pradesh used to say that cheating is our birth right. But no one has the right to play with the future and integrity of the nation. Acharya Chanakya, Dr. Radhakrishnan, and Madan Mohan Malaviya are our ideals. If there is a teacher like Chanakya, the nation can never become impoverished, and foreign powers will never dare cast an evil eye on it.

Encouraging teachers, the CM stated, "You have worked very hard over the past nine years. The efforts made under schemes such as Operation Kayakalp, Project Alankar, and NIPUN Bharat are commendable. Schools are temples for us. If the schools where you studied earlier lacked facilities, it is now your responsibility to contribute in every possible way towards their progress."

The CM referred to older educational institutions and stated, Government Inter Colleges for boys and girls, Government-aided schools run by the private sector, and similar institutions have shaped generations. At one time, recommendations were required to secure admission there, but later these schools and colleges deteriorated significantly. There was no one to look after them. Even then, teachers and principals never lost courage and continued working with dedication. Over time, when resources were not provided by the Government, those schools and colleges also became dilapidated.

He added by saying, "Through Project Alankar, the Board of Secondary Education provided funds to nearly 1,000 schools, resulting in the construction of grand buildings, quality furniture, well-equipped laboratories, digital libraries, and other facilities. It has also been our responsibility to strengthen the institutions that have shaped generations."

On the occasion, State Government Ministers Anil Rajbhar, Gulab Devi, Sandeep Singh, Kunwar Brajesh Singh, Mayor Ashok Tiwari, MLAs Neelkanth Tiwari, Saurabh Srivastava, Avadhesh Singh, Tribhuvan Ram, Sunil Patel, Member of the Legislative Council Dharmendra Singh, District Panchayat Chairperson Poonam Maurya, BJP District President Ramsakal Patel, and others were present.