Lucknow: State cabinet on Tuesday approved two major welfare measures for Provincial Rakshak Dal (PRD) volunteers, increasing their daily duty allowance and extending cashless medical treatment to volunteers and their dependents.The daily duty allowance has been increased from ₹500 to ₹600, while the cabinet also approved the Chief Minister PRD Cashless Medical Scheme to provide healthcare coverage to registered volunteers and their dependents.The decisions are aimed at strengthening the financial and health security of PRD personnel who assist the administration in various duties across the state.With the ₹100 increase, a PRD volunteer completing 30 days of duty will receive an additional ₹3,000 per month.Finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the hike would impose an additional annual financial burden of ₹101.44 crore on state govt.For the remaining months of the 2026-27 financial year, govt has made an immediate provision of ₹45 crore through supplementary grants.Govt also approved a separate health-security measure under which PRD volunteers and their dependents will be eligible for cashless medical treatment.Govt estimates an annual expenditure of approximately ₹9.34 crore on the scheme, based on an annual premium of ₹3,000 per volunteer.For the remaining period of the current financial year, ₹5 crore has been provided through supplementary grants.Chief Minister PRD Cashless Medical Scheme is proposed to be implemented through the State Agency for Comprehensive Health Integrated Services (SACHIS).The health cover will remain available to volunteers and their eligible dependents only during their period of service.Volunteers or dependents, who are already covered under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) or the Chief Minister Jan Arogya Abhiyan, will not be eligible under the new PRD scheme.
