Def Min approves child care leave for male personnel

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved extending benefits of childcare leave to single male service personnel, the defence ministry said on Saturday.

The decision is in sync with an order by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The minister has also given his nod for giving certain relaxation in childcare leave (CCL) provisions in case of women officers in defence forces

At present, CCL is granted only to women officers in defence forces. Recently, DoPT has made certain amendments to allow CCL to civilian employees, whereby the CCL granted to woman employees till now has been extended to single male government servants also.

"The age limit of 22 years prescribed earlier in the case of a child with 40 per cent disability has been removed for the purpose of availing CCL. Further, the minimum period of CCL that can be availed at a time has been reduced to 05 days instead of 15 days," the defence ministry said.

It said a proposal to extend similar benefits to defence personnel has been approved by Singh.

With this, single male service personnel will be able to avail the benefit of CCL. Single male service personnel and woman officers of defence forces will also be able to avail CCL in respect of child with 40 per cent disability without any restriction of age limit for the child.

Further, the minimum period of CCL that can be availed in each spell has been reduced to five days from the earlier limit of 15 days, officials said.