A turning point for Indian women: Soon 6.5 months of paid maternity leave

A few days back, the Labour Ministry had proposed to extend the maternity leave that one gets under The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The act presently entitles women to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, and the proposal was to extend it to 26 weeks.

Well, looks like the Union Cabinet may soon be giving its go-ahead to the proposal.

If the proposal gets accepted, mothers who use surrogates to bear a child and women who adopt a baby would also be getting 12 weeks of maternity leave.

This extension of maternity leave is in accordance with benefits which are available to central government employees under Central Civil Service (Leave) Rules, 1972. This would also help in the reduction of child malnutrition, which is on a rise in the country.

"We have substantially enhanced benefits under the Maternity Act. This is likely to be approved by the Cabinet soon, after which it will go to Parliament as it requires amendment in the Act," a senior government official told ET.

As per the International Labour Organisation, a standard maternity leave of 14 weeks or more is recommended, while 18 weeks of maternity leaves are encouraged. If the proposal for 26 weeks gets accepted, India would join 42 other countries where maternity leave exceeds 18 weeks.

However, several East European, Central Asian and Scandinavian countries have more generous paid maternity leave, and continue to be idolised for this.

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