New Delhi: Union Minister Maneka Gandhi who is in-charge of the ministry of women and child development has made a proposal to increase maternity leave from three months to eight months.

“We have mooted a proposal of extending the maternity leave for working women from present three months to eight months to the Cabinet Secretariat for a discussion in the Committee of Secretaries. This matter was taken up by our minister with the Prime Minister and he is also very interested, so we are sending a copy to him,” Nutan Guha Biswas, WCD additional secretary said.

The ministry has also urged the labour ministry that the maternity benefit provisions be extended to all working women both in organized and unorganized sector.

The proposed eight-month maternity leave will include one month leave before expected delivery date and seven months after delivery.