Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar on Sunday announced a 15-day paternity leave to all male government employees to take care of the newborn child. This decision makes Haryana the first state government to grant paternity leaves to its employees. This decision comes after The Haryana government’s decision to increase the strength of women in police forces by increasing it from existing 11 percent to 20 percent.
In 2016, after repealing Punjab Civil Services Rules (1953) and put in place Haryana Civil Services Rule, under which all male employees were eligible to get 15 days paternity leave. Haryana Finance Minister had said, paternity leave would be admissible to male employees with less than 2 surviving children.
In 2017, a Paternity Benefit Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha where paternity leave could be extended up to 3 months. Currently, only All India and Central Services Rules allow a paternity leave of 15-day. Some private players also give paternity leaves. The bill aims to push for equal ‘parental’ benefits for both the mother and the father since raising a child is a joint responsibility of both the parents. This bill is expected to benefit 32 crore men in the private and unorganised sector, especially those doing the blue collar job.
