Vijay govt to give women employees year-long maternity leave for third child

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 leave 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. FROM 90 DAYS TO ONE YEARTamil Nadu initially provided 90 days of maternity leave to women government employees.The AIADMK government increased the period to six months in 2011 and nine months in 2016. In July 2021, the DMK government extended maternity leave to one year, or 365 days, for eligible women employees. The 12-week provision for employees with two or more children was introduced in line with Supreme Court directives and subsequent amendments by the state government.FIRST-TIME MLA BRINGS NEWBORN TO ASSEMBLYThe announcement came as first-time TVK MLA R Pallavi drew attention by bringing her newborn to the ongoing Assembly session.Pallavi brought the baby to the Assembly premises and left the child with a caregiver before entering the main hall to participate in the proceedings, official sources said.The caregiver looked after the newborn in a room near the Assembly hall until Pallavi returned.Responding to social media criticism that she was “creating a scene” by carrying her baby with her, the MLA said she could not leave a newborn at home.“Please think before making a comment. It is fine even if you do not understand another person’s pain, but do not troll,” she told a YouTube channel.TAMIL NADU’S FERTILITY RATE BELOW 1.4The expansion of maternity leave also comes amid growing concern over Tamil Nadu’s demographic transition.Addressing a workshop of the Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society of South India on Sunday, Health Minister KG Arunraj said the state’s Total Fertility Rate had fallen below 1.4, considerably lower than the replacement level of 2.1.With nearly 16 per cent of Tamil Nadu’s population aged above 60, the minister described the demographic shift as a major public health challenge.Arunraj said the government could consider policies similar to those reportedly followed in Andhra Pradesh, where couples are offered incentives to have a third child.“We were told that in places like Andhra Pradesh, there are government schemes providing incentives for couples to have a third child. Therefore, in the future, there could definitely be such measures here too,” he said.- EndsPublished By: Sonali VermaPublished On: Aug 18, 2026 20:34 IST