Here’s some good news for women government employees. The Tamil Nadu government has increased the maternity leave from six to nine months.
On Thursday, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced on the floor of the assembly that maternity leave has been increased to nine months.
According to The Times of India, she said, "In 2011, my government increased the maternity leave from 90 days to six months. Now, the government is increasing the maternity leave from six months to nine months."
Jayalalithaa also announced plans of constructing more buildings at various hospitals like Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital, Kilpauk Government Hospital and Coimbatore Government Hospital. It would include more services like cardio thoracic, kidney, ENT etc. These facilities will cost about Rs. 356.50 crore.
She also proposed upgrading of facilities in various small government hospitals at a cost of Rs 131.43 crore.
Last month, the Rajya Sabha had passed an amendment bill to provide maternity leave of six months to all working women.
The bill is yet to be passed in the Lok Sabha. It mentions that women who adopt children or get children from surrogate mothers will also be given a leave of 12 weeks.