TN Extends Maternity Leave for Third Child to 365 Days for State Employees

The Tamil Nadu government has extended maternity leave for the third child of women government employees from the existing 12 weeks to 365 days. Human Resources Minister D. Sarathkumar made the announcement in Chennai at the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday while replying to the debate on the demand for grants for his department.

The policy change follows the state government's announced shift in family planning strategy from population control to family well-being. Previously, women government employees in the state were granted 365 days of maternity leave only for their first two children, while leave for a third or subsequent child was limited to 12 weeks.

During his address in the Assembly, the minister outlined several other initiatives and budgetary allocations planned for the department. He announced that a new mobile application named 'Vetri Paathai' would be developed at a cost of Rs. 20 lakh to assist students preparing for competitive examinations conducted by various recruitment agencies, including the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), and the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).

Additionally, coaching centres for competitive examinations are set to be linked to knowledge centres at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.3 crore to support youth preparing for recruitment tests across state and central government bodies.

Minister Sarathkumar also stated that a Social Media Monitoring Centre would be established at an expenditure of Rs. 50 lakh. The facility will be designated to monitor whistle-blower disclosures, viral footage, sting operation videos, and news reports. Furthermore, a CCTV surveillance system is slated for installation at the Tamil Nadu Information Commission. Under the state's 'Simple Governance' initiative, the administration plans to roll out 150 government services during the current financial year.