Shillong, March 24: The political party KHNAM has written to the Labour Minister Government of Meghalaya saying that the state government should implement of 26 weeks paid maternity leave for women working in organized sectors.
In the letter sent to the state government sign by the president youth wing Mt T. Passah said that, the Parliament have approved a bill granting women working in various organised sector, paid maternity leave of 26 weeks. The law is to be applied to establishment employing 10 or more people and the entitlement will be for the first two children.
For the third child the entitlement will be 12 weeks. The Maternity benefit (Amendment) Bill 2016 was passed by Lok Sabha on the International Womens Day to empower women. The subject provision will ensure pregnant mother are able to take better care of children who would become pillars of a society, the state and the country at large.
The bill have also defined requirement for every establishment with 50 or more employees to provide crèche facilities within a prescribed distance and the women will be allowed four visit to the crèche per day which will include her interval for rest. The bill also provides a provision under which an employee can permit a woman to work from home, if the nature of work assigned permits.
The president of the KHNAM Youth Wing pointed out that Labour falls under the concurrent list and therefore the state Government needs to ensure that all benefits reach women as per provision of the law.It is observed that most of the benefits which have been provided to the citizen of the state are not being implemented or do not reach the citizen of the state at its fullest. Therefore, the KHNAM State Youth Wing strongly demands fullest implementation of the subject bill.
Women should be granted 26 weeks paid maternity leave for the first two children,For the third child 12 weeks paid maternity leave should be granted.For establishment with 50 more employee crèche facilities should be made available and four visits a day to the crèche should be made admissible to the mothers.Working from home, if the nature of work assigned permits should be granted. All organised establishment needs should be instructed for strict adherence of the same.
The KHNAM State Youth Wing will follow up the matter with regular checking to ensure that benefits provided to women as per law of the land is being implemented by all concerned, siad Mr Thomas Passah in the press statement issue to media houses.
