Maharashtra govt employees to receive parenting leaves

Mumbai: There is a good news for State government employees, having two kids less than 18 years, especially for women employees as these government employees can avail paid leave for 180 days for child care. 

The State Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to grant a special 180-days paid leave for working women for ‘better parenting’. If the wife is not alive, male employees, responsible for parenting children below 18 years, can avail this leave.

The special leave is in addition to the existing 180 days maternity leave for women. This decision will benefit about four lakh women employees working with the State government. 

The paid leave is valid until the child turns 18 years of age and this leave is also available for male employees who are widowers or single parents.

They can also take an advantage of this for the better parenting of their children.

Sudhir Mungatiwar, Finance Minister, said that the state cabinet has agreed to the special child care leave proposal. 

“The women with two children will be provided this leave, so it can be availed twice a year. 180 days of maternity leave will be very helpful for parents to guide their children in the right direction,” said Mungantiwar. 

These leaves can be availed during the examination of the children for successive years but during one year, such leaves can be taken thrice. 

The leave can be given till children attain 18 years and the reason for keeping this limit is after becoming a voter. The mother can avail this leave at the time of important examinations like SSC and HSC. 

GD Kulthe, Maharashtra State Gazetted Officers’ Organisation adviser welcomed the government’s decision. “The employees have been demanding leave on the basis of the Central government’s leave for long. The Central government gives two years of child care leave,” Kulthe said.