- CM Vijay announces 365-day paid maternity leave for third child.
- Benefit extended to women government employees in Tamil Nadu.
- It aims to remove disparity and empower working mothers.
After 100 days of the TVK government, the Tamil Nadu government has taken a major social welfare step in the interest of women employees. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thalapathy Vijay has announced that women working in government service will now be eligible for conditional, fully paid maternity leave of 365 days (one year), even for the birth of a third child.
Under the existing rules, women government employees with fewer than two living children were eligible for 365 days of maternity leave. However, women who already had two or more living children were entitled to only 12 weeks (84 days) of leave, in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines and subsequent amendments made by the state government.
The new decision seeks to remove this disparity by extending the 365-day maternity leave provision to women government employees for the birth of a third child as well.
The announcement was made during a discussion on the demands for grants in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The state government said it has consistently prioritised women’s empowerment and social welfare.
The primary objective of the decision is to provide working mothers with sufficient time to care for, raise, and ensure the proper healthcare of their children.
According to Jagran.com citing government sources, a detailed government order will soon be issued to implement the announcement made in the Assembly.