Tamil Nadu extends maternity leave to 1 year

CHENNAI: The M K Stalin government in Tamil Nadu enhanced the period of maternity leave for government employees from nine months to one year on Friday, fulfilling the promise made in DMK’s election manifesto.
Making this announcement in the assembly in his maiden budget speech, Tamil Nadu finance minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said the scheme will be restricted to women with less than two surviving children with effect from July 1.
The policy will help the state’s target of increasing the number of babies who are breastfed in the first six months of life. It will also help mothers get back to good health in a short period of time, said officials from the social welfare department.
“Tamil Nadu provides cash benefits, free vaccination and nutrition supplement for mothers and babies. But several mothers are not able to take care of themselves and their babies because they don’t have time,” said a senior social welfare department official. The longer duration of maternity leave will change this, she said.