RS passes bill to raise maternity leave period

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that will raise the maternity leave for working women in public and private sector from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, amidst uproar from opposition benches for leaving out surrogate mothers from availing the benefit.

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Opposition MPs also demanded for a provision for paternity leave in the bill to allow men to share the responsibility of bringing up the child.

Recognising that women who adopt or use a surrogate to bear a child also need time to bond with the child in the initial months, the bill also extends a 12-week maternity leave to adopting and commissioning mothers.

However, it has left out surrogate mothers. “There is no maternity leave provision for surrogate mothers. Surrogates bear the child of commissioning mothers and should also be entitled to maternity benefits,” said BSP’s Satish Chandra Mishra.

Women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi said, “Since a surrogate mother gives up the child she does not need the leave to bond with the child. Under existing rules she can avail of 15-20 days of sick leave before delivery.”