Union Minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya has said that the Union government will strictly implement the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, which guarantees three months’ leave with wages for pregnant employees.
The government will initiate action against employers or industries who refused to grant the leave, Mr. Dattatreya told a meeting organised by his Ministry in connection with International Women’s Day here on Sunday.
He appealed to all parties to support the Women’s Reservation Bill which the Centre proposed to push through in Parliament.
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MPs K. Kavitha and G. Sudharani participated in the event, where several women from different fields were felicitated for excellence.
Deputy Speaker of Telangana Legislative Assembly M. Padma Devender Reddy demanded 50 per cent reservation for women in the law-making bodies. The demand for equal representation in local bodies, legislatures and Parliament is picking up among the women fraternity, she said.
Speaking at the celebrations at TRS office, she stressed the need to stop female foeticide and discrimination against women. She said women empowerment was possible only when women grab the opportunities through education.
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Ms. Kavitha said Telangana government was committed to education of girls through its KG to PG scheme. She demanded implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in State legislatures and Parliament and not just in local bodies, as being provided now. Women’s security would be given top priority in ‘Bangaru Telangana’ she stated.
Governor of Telangana and AP E.S.L. Narasimhan and wife Vimala Narasimhan participated in the women’s day event organised by the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of AP (ALEAP) at Pragati Nagar here. Women excelling in different walks of life including budding table tennis player Naina Jaiswal were felicitated by BJP State unit president G. Kishan Reddy at a programme organised at the BJP office. State Mahila Morcha president Padmaja Reddy and others spoke.