Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay said Tuesday that women state government employees having a third child will receive 365 days of maternity leave [1].
The policy represents a significant shift in the state's approach to family planning and workforce support. By increasing the time off available for larger families, the government aims to address demographic trends and boost population growth [1].
Under the new guidelines, the leave duration for a third child is set at 365 days [1]. This is an increase from the previous maternity leave duration of 12 weeks [1].
The policy specifically targets women who are employed by the state government [2]. The administration said this incentive is intended to remove some of the professional barriers that may discourage government employees from having more children.
While the announcement focused on the extension of leave, other reports regarding state expenditures have surfaced. Some sources said the state provided new cars for MLAs to assist with travel to their constituencies, though this is separate from the maternity leave initiative.
“Women state government employees having a third child will receive 365 days of maternity leave.”
This policy signals a pro-natalist shift in Tamil Nadu's governance, moving away from traditional population control measures. By targeting government employees, the state is using its role as a major employer to set a social precedent, attempting to incentivize larger family sizes to counter declining birth rates.
