The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has made a proposal to the government to extend maternity leave for working women from present three months to eight months.
The Labour Ministry is already in the process of amending the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, a senior official of the Ministry said.
"We have mooted a proposal of extending the maternity leave for working women from present three months to eight months to the Cabinet Secretariat for a discussion in the Committee of Secretaries.
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"This matter was taken up by our minister with the Prime Minister and he is also very interested, so we are sending a copy to him," Additional Secretary from the WCD Ministry Nutan Guha Biswas said.
She today released the 4th Assessment of India's Policy and Programmes on Infant and Young Child Feeding -- "The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBT) India Report 2015".
The Ministry has also urged the Labour Ministry that the maternity benefit provisions be extended to all working women both in organised and unorganised sector.
The proposed eight-month maternity leave will include one- month leave before expected delivery date and seven months after delivery.
