In India women are given the paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for working women under the new maternity benefit (Amendment) Act 2017 ,which was passed by the Rajya Sabha in the year August 2016,has now also been approved by the Lok Sabha in the same year ,March 2017.
Women are given maternity leave but what about men, the father of the new born, don’t they need any leave? Do they not wish to be with their new born and be helpful to their families, they too have responsibility towards their family right? Many parents have raised their concern regarding not getting leaves during their child birth and this is actually a growing concern ,if women can get maternity leave then even the father’s should also get their paternity leave .
The maternity leave policy was started back then in 1961,the Maternity benefits act ,by which women got different benefits, facilities and perks, but what about the father , there was nothing sort of paternity leave, and in a country like India where family is considered utmost important , its necessary to provide both maternity and paternity leave.
In 1991 the central government ,under the central civil services (leave) rule 551(A) introduced some provisions for paternity leave like a central government male employee can take leave up to 15 days to take care of child and wife with less than two children.
Paternity leave is sanctioned for the government employees, but there is no law that mandates private sectors when it comes to paternity leave. Therefore, it is decision made by by the individual companies themselves.
Its important for all the sectors to grant these type of leaves , therefore Three years ago in 2017, After the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act happened, there was a new bill proposed, known as The Paternity Benefit Bill. Rajeev Satav, an MP from Maharashtra, stood up for the benefits of fathers of newborn babies.
The Objective of the Bill is “Child care is the joint responsibility of both parents. They must devote time to the newborn to ensure its proper well-being,” said Congress MP Mr. Rajeev Satav.
This new bill states that all workers, both in unorganized and private sectors, should get paternity leave of fifteen days, which is also extendable up to three months. One of the most important features is that it emphasized the equal parental benefits for mothers and fathers. The paternity leave will also allow the mother to get some much-needed support from their husbands and the fathers of their children, both during and after childbirth.
Currently, the Central employees who fall under the All India and Central Civil Services Rules, are all allowed to take a paid fifteen-day paternity leave. This puts India in the top fourteen countries with the highest maternity leave. By providing fifteen days of paid paternity leave to all sectors, India will among the top thirteen countries that provide the highest paternity leave, alongside other benefits.
It is high time the idea of Parental became commonplace so that it can well resonate with the needs of working families today.
One of our Indian cricketer and former captain Mr. Kohli took paternity leave and it was a national news ,even Mark Zuckerberg and Prince William took paternity leave ,but why did this become such a big news only in India
There should be no discrimination says the society ,but what about granting paternity leave ,when women can get maternity leave ,then even the father of child has right to get leave and share responsibilities with mother and support her during and after child birth. The new born needs both of the parents ,its a joint responsibility and they must devote their time to the new born to ensure proper well being .So I think paternity leave should be granted to everyone either government or private sector employee.
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