Centre asks employers to give maternity leave to construction workers

The Centre on Tuesday asked employers to ensure digital payment of wages and paid maternity leave of 26 weeks to women construction workers. The advisory issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said, “For ensuring wide participation of women and providing gender equal opportunities in the highway sector, MoRTH has decided to issue an Advisory in line with the Statutory Provisions to all implementing agencies, which in turn, shall ensure and oversee the adoption of the Advisory by their respective contractors/concessionaires”. “The advisory that I hold in my hands for female construction workers across the country mandates them to be given 26 weeks of maternity leave by their employers. “We have proposed in a combination - between the Ministry of Labour and the Women and Child Development Ministry - to our counterparts in the Ministry of Education that our Central universities can get additional support from the Ministry so they can now build hostels only for working women within the university environment,” she said adding that several Central universities have already submitted their proposals in writing.