CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The Bill amends the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The Act regulates the employment of women during the period of child birth, and provides maternity benefits.

Detailed explanation-2: -Recently, the Indian government amended and reformed the Maternity Benefits Act to form the Maternity (Amendment) Bill 2017. This amendment was passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 11, 2016, and received consent from the President on March 27, 2017.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, as amended vide the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, provides inter-alia for paid maternity leave to women workers and crèche facility by establishments.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Maternity Benefit Act mandates that an expecting mother will be paid the maternity leave salary at the rate of her average wages in the three months preceding her pregnancy leave.

Detailed explanation-5: -As per the new Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 (“Amendment Act”), the Maternity leave available to the working women has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for the first two children. Besides, provisions relating to work from home and crèche facility have been introduced in the Amendment Act.