Maharashtra govt to give 180-days paid maternity leave for state employees

For better upbringing of children, Maharashtra government has decided to give 180 days of paid leave to women working under the state government. The decision will benefit four lakh women associated with the state government, said a DNA report.

The paid leave is valid until the child turns 18 years of age, and this leave is also available to male employees who are widowers or single parents. They can also take an advantage of this for the better parenting of their children, the report said.

Sudhir Mungatiwar, Finance Minister of Maharashtra, said the state cabinet has agreed to the special child care leave proposal. GD Kulthe, Maharashtra State Gazetted officers’ Organization advisor and founder, said that paid leave was a welcome decision.

“The organization of employees has been demanding the leave for some time. It is good that Maharashtra government has granted this leave for employees, both women and men (who lost their wives),” Kulthe said, while talking about the Union government’s childcare leave for two years.

The women with two children will be provided this leave, so it can be availed twice a year. 180-days of maternity leave will be very helpful for parents to guide their children in the right direction, the state Finance Minister said.

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Mungatiwar said, “At present women employees can avail 180 days maternity leave twice since this leave can be given for women with two children. For child care and for bringing up the child, this special child care leave can be availed and it can be availed at one stretch or in gaps.”

He further informed that the leave can be availed during the examination of children and for the successive years it can be availed thrice a year till the child attains the age of 18.

The reason for which this leave will be given is that students may need their mothers during their 10th or 12thboards; this paid leave can be used then. Also, after the child crosses the age of 18, he/she becomes a voter and then there is no need of childcare so 18 years is the decided limit, the minister added.