'Good News' for Expecting Mothers in Sikkim: Govt Announces Slew of Benefits to Improve Fertility Rate
The government shall offer child care help (nanny) to women employees of the state government for one complete year to enable working mothers to return to their job after completion of the stipulated one year of maternity leave
Maternity leave in Sikkim will come with an added advantage from now on. The state government has decided to provide “child care assistance" for an entire year on the state’s expense for government employees. The move was made to improve Sikkim’s fertility rate.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday announced “child care facilities for female employees of the state government beyond the stipulated one year of maternity leave" would be offered.
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The government shall offer child care help (nanny) to women employees of the state government for one complete year to enable working mothers to return to their job after completion of the stipulated one year of maternity leave, he said.
“Women and widows above the age of 40 hailing from economically backward sections shall be exclusively engaged to provide child care services at the working mother’s place for a year," the CM stated.
The facility, however, comes with a rider. “The child care assistant shall not cater to other household chores" Tamang said. The nanny shall be provided a monthly stipend of rupees 10,000 from the government exchequer.
Expressing concern over the declining fertility rate in the state, the Chief Minister stated that the provision of home-based child care facilities has been announced to aid working mothers who have active participation in the state workforce. The announcement was made during the State-level Pre-Sonam Lochar Celebration 2023, organised by Sikkim Tamang Buddhist Association (STBA) at Saramsa Garden in Ranipool.
This announcement comes in addition to an earlier declaration of increment for employees with two children and a double increment for those with more than two children.
Additionally, financial support of one lakh rupees will be given to women who do work in government offices but have more than one child.
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