New Delhi: In news bringing good news for women employees in Odisha, the state government on Tuesday extended the period of maternity leave to six months from the existing 90 days for employees of aided colleges under the state higher education department.
Amid the COVID situation, the leave benefit will provide benefits to mothers who can stay at home to take care of the newborn and join back when the situation returns to normal.
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News agency ANI reported that the period of maternity leave, which was 90 days ago, has been increased to 180 days and all eligible women working in the higher education department can avail it.
Government of Odisha extends maternity leave benefit from 90 days to 180 days for eligible female employees of aided colleges under Higher Education Department: Department of Higher Education, Government of Odisha
— ANI (@ANI) 11 January 2022
The Odisha state cabinet on Monday increased the maximum age limit for recruitment in government jobs from 32 to 38 years. The decision was taken to enable the candidates who missed the opportunity due to the COVID situation in the last two years, to appear in the recruitment examinations.
“Relaxation in upper age limit will be initially applicable for three years – 2021, 2022 and 2023. The upper age limit has been increased to 43 years for candidates belonging to SC/ST and SEBC categories. Similarly, the upper age limit is female. There will be 43 years for the candidates,” Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra said as per a report in Hindustan Times.
As the COVID-19 lockdown and other restrictions take effect in 2020, the state said, there will be no new jobs in the government sector except in the Department of Health and Family Welfare for the next two years.
Under the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2017, maternity leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Antenatal leave was also extended from six to eight weeks. However, a woman already having two or more children is entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave. In this case, the antenatal leave remains for six weeks.
The state witnessed the highest single-day Covid-19 spike this year. Odisha has reported 7,071 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the active caseload in the state to 27,216. According to the state’s Information and Public Relations Department, out of 7071 cases, 4,128 were found in quarantine, while 2,943 are local contact cases.
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