Nine-month maternity leave for TN govt employees

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday increased the maternity leave of women employees with the state government to nine months with immediate effect.

The leave was increased from three to six months during the previous AIADMK disposition. “Likewise, this government has increased it to nine months,” the chief minister told the state Assembly.

The leave is by far the longest period offered as the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill initiated in Rajya Sabha proposes only six months for all working women. 

The government also announced that it would upgrade  all state-run hospitals with enhanced facilities such as vascular, cardio thoracic, plastic surgery, kidney, ENT and high-tech surgery equipment for children at a cost of Rs 500 crore.