Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Wednesday announced 12-month maternity leave and one-month paternity leave to government employees of the state.
Addressing the annual general meeting of the Sikkim State Civil Service Officers' Association (SSCSOA) here, he said changes will be made in the service rules to provide the benefit.
This benefit will help the government employees to take better care of their children and families, he said. The details will be notified soon, he added.
According to the Maternity Benefit Act 1961, a working woman is entitled to 6 months, or 26 weeks, of paid maternity leave.
The Himalayan state has the lowest population in India at around 6.32 lakh.
Tamang said the officers are the backbone of the state administration, contributing significantly to the growth and development of Sikkim and its people.
He said there has been a significant focus on streamlining the promotion process for civil services officers, leading to an increase in the number of promotions.
He congratulated all new IAS and SCS (Sikkim Civil Services) officers, and wished them well for a successful career.
PTI with superficial edits