NEW DELHI: The current government is planning a proposal that would benefit the expecting mothers. The government officials are working on the plan to extend the maternity leave from the present 12 weeks to 26 weeks. In addition to this, the proposal also includes offering a 12 week leave to commissioning mothers as well as working women professionals adopting a child, reports TOI.

A tripartite meeting was carried out between the labour ministry and trade unions and employers to discuss over this proposal for extending the maternity leave for natural, commissioning and adopting mothers. The existing leave benefits entitled to working women include a 12 week leave which includes six weeks before the date of delivery following the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The proposal for a 28 week maternity leave has been put forward by the women and child development minister, Maneka Gandhi. The labor minister discussed the same with her in a meeting.

"In the meeting, it was unanimously decided that maternity leave for natural mothers should be extended from the existing 12 to 26 weeks," said a labour ministry official.

The decision is not easy for the government however; if this proposal is passed it will affect the new born child in a positive way enhancing the nutrition. On the low side, such long work gap can make the woman unemployable.

"It is no secret that the company will have to pay for 26 weeks of absence of a woman employee. This may work against a woman employee and be a deterrent for companies in hiring women. The government needs to weigh in the pros and cons before it takes a considered decision,'' a senior official said.

Post delivery, crèches are also a big problem that need a solution. “It was almost unanimous that there will be crèches. The proposal was that firms with 30 women employees or with total of 50 employees will have crèches. Also there can be option of a group of firms together opening a crèche,” RSS-affiliate BMS Zonal Organisation Secretary Pawan Singh said.

“The proposal also included the point that mothers who bring their child to the crèche will get 15 minutes of special leave before and after the lunch hour to take care of the child”, he added. The government is likely to bring about changes on both issues after inter-ministerial consultations.

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