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Last Updated: Tuesday, January 6, 2015 – 20:05

Patna: In a major policy decision affecting the well-being of its women employees, Bihar government on Tuesday increased the duration of maternity leave to 180 days from 135 days, and also made provisions for 730 days of child care leave.

Principal Secretary of Cabinet Department B Pradhan said the decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

“It was realised that there was no provision for child care leave for women government employees in the Bihar Service Rules. The government has decided not only to increase the maternity leave to 180 days, but also to provide 730 days leave to tend to the children during their illnesses, examinations or to raise them up,” Pradhan said.

The maternity and child care leave would be given to women government servants for two children only during their entire service period.

Pradhan said the state cabinet also approved setting up a liquor distillation and a bottling unit at Devadi village in Bhojpur district. The units will be established by Chandigarh-based company ‘Bihar Distillers and Bottlers’ at a cost of Rs 160 crore.

“The company will establish a 2.28 kilo litres per annum molasses or grain based distillery unit and an Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) unit to bottle 24 lakh cases per year. These would be established with the help of private capital investment,” Pradhan said.

He further added that 29 acres of land have been arranged for the two liquor units and the project would provide direct employment to 320 skilled and unskilled workers.

http://zeenews.india.com/news/bihar/bihar-increases-maternity-leave-period-to-give-child-care-leave_1525964.html