New Delhi: The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which increases maternity leave from present 12 weeks to 26 weeks was passed by the Rajya Sabha Thursday.
The union cabinet had Wednesday gave ex-post facto approval to the amendments made to the bill.
"The union cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval for amendments to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 by introducing the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament," an official statement said.
The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity and entitles her of a full paid absence from work - to take care for her child.
It is applicable to all establishments employing 10 or more persons and the amendments will help around 1.8 million women workforce in the organized sector.
These amendments include increasing maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for two surviving children and 12 weeks for more than two children, 12 weeks maternity leave to a 'Commissioning mother' and 'Adopting mother' and mandatory provision of creche in respect of establishment having 50 or more employees, the statement had said.
(With agency inputs)