Punjab Grants Six-Month Maternity Leave to ASHA Workers Amid Flood Relief Efforts

In a significant policy decision, Punjab's Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema declared that the state's Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and ASHA Facilitators will receive six months of maternity leave under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The announcement, made on Wednesday, aligns with the government's existing policy of 180 days of paid maternity leave for female employees.

Minister Cheema emphasized that this new maternity leave provision will not be deducted from any other leave accounts. Moreover, it extends existing benefits already available to female employees, including those employed on a contractual basis, as consultants, or via agencies, thanks to provisions from a 2017 circular and prior approvals.

The Finance Department's approval of the Health and Family Welfare Department's request marks a commitment to improving the lives of ASHA workers, who often balance professional duties with personal caregiving roles. Meanwhile, the Punjab government is also addressing the impact of recent flooding in the Ajnala district. Relief measures include 16 camps for displaced animals, with coordinated support from the Department of Animal Husbandry and NGOs.

(With inputs from agencies.)