KOLKATA:
Working mothers may soon heave a sigh of relief. The Mamata Banerjee
government is planning to introduce a two-year child care leave for
women staffers, so that working mothers can devote more time to their
children, especially when the children are ill or need assistance during
examinations. to assist the children during their examinations.
The state government is also considering options of adoptive leave to be given to women employees who opt for adoption.
Proposal for child care leave has
already been sent to the finance department for its clearance, so that
women employees can avail of the facility from this year. Once the
government clears this proposal, working mothers can get a leave of 730
days. The leave can either be availed of at a stretch or in intervals.
The state government is also
considering ways of providing an increased maternity leave to women
employees, if the women employees can be provided increased maternity
leave, as enjoyed by central government employees. While the Centre has
increased the maternity leave from 135 days to 180 days, that for So far
the maternity leave for the state government employees is 120 days.
State officials are contemplating to raise the leave to 140 days.
An official of the finance
department said that there are around 30,000 women employees in the
state including those working in the government, government-aided
organizations, schools and panchayats. If the child care leave is to be
provided, then it should cover all categories of staff, he said.
The officer said that a woman
employee is entitled to the 730-day leave during the entire period of
her service, for taking care of a maximum of two children. The leave can
be availed till the children turn 18 and can be used if the child falls
sick or needs the mother's assistance for preparing for an examination.
"During the period of such leave, the women staffer shall be getting
salary equal to what she used to draw immediately before going on
leave," the officer said.
However, prior to this new rule
being implemented, state officials are examining the central order
issued following the recommendation of the Sixth Central Pay Commission
that led to the introduction of this child care leave. For central
government employees, this leave came into effect since September, 2008.
A central service officer who had
recently availed of this leave at the time of her daughter's illness
clarified that the leave can be taken thrice in a year and can be taken
in spells. "But this leave should not be less than 15 days. In case of
emergency like sickness of child, approval for proceedings on the leave
can be sought later. But if one wants leave for the child's examination,
a prior sanction is required," the officer added.
Sociologist Ruby Sain said, "If
child care leave is granted then it will be of immense help to working
mothers.If this leave is granted then I can also avail of it for my
son's ICSE next year, as my son Baijaeek will be appearing for the ICSE
examination in 2012.
" She felt that adoptive mothers
too should be granted leave for adoption. This will enable more working
women to adopt babies.
Dalia Chakaraborty, head of
sociology department, Jadavpur University, said that the move to provide
child care leave will be very useful for working mothers. "Working
mothers face trouble during the early years of their children and there
is no institutional support. Creches are few in the city. Creches are
also few in the city.
There are instances of JU teachers
getting full maternity leave for adopting babies. This should be
followed by the state government," said Dalia.
Courtesy: timesofindia
