Do families have resources: Ally Congress opposes Vijay govt's 3rd child move

Karti Chidambaram has opposed Tamil Nadu's decision to grant one year of maternity leave for a third child to women government employees. He said maternity leave is welcome, and paternity leave should also be considered, but the state should not encourage larger families.Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and CM Vijay (Image: PTI)Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has opposed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to extend one year of maternity leave to women government employees for the birth of their third child, saying the government should not encourage families to have a third child.“While maternity leave is most welcome, paternity leave should also be considered, but the government should not be encouraging a third child in families. Do families have the resources to support a 3rd child?” Chidambaram said.The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced that women government employees would receive 365 days of maternity leave for the birth of their third child, up from the existing 12 weeks. The change brings the benefit for a third child on par with the one-year leave available for the first two children.Human Resources Management Minister D Sarathkumar announced the decision in the state Assembly during the debate on his department’s demand for grants. “As the Tamil Nadu government is a welfare-oriented administration that prioritises social welfare and women’s empowerment, the maternity leaves currently provided to women government employees for their third child will be increased from 12 weeks to 365 days,” Sarathkumar said.Under the existing framework, women government employees with fewer than two surviving children are entitled to 365 days of maternity leave. Those with two or more children receive up to 12 weeks, or 84 days, of leave with full pay. The 12-week provision for government employees with two or more children was introduced in line with the Supreme Court’s interpretation that maternity benefits cannot be denied for a third child.Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government announced cash incentives for families having a third and fourth child. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu made the announcement while addressing a public meeting in Narsannapeta, saying that the government would provide Rs 30,000 for the birth of a third child and Rs 40,000 for a fourth child.- EndsPublished By: Akshat TrivediPublished On: Aug 19, 2026 12:49 IST