Jayalalithaa fulfils another promise, announces 9 months maternity leave for TN govt employees

Chennai: Fulfilling yet another election promise, the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu on Thursday increased the maternity leave of government employees from six months to nine months.

"In 2011, my government increased the maternity leave from 90 days to six months. Now, the government is increasing the maternity leave from six months to nine months," Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said in the state assembly.

Besides this the Chief Minister also announced mega plans involving several crores of rupees for government hospitals across the state.

The government proposes to construct more buildings at Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital, Kilpauk Government Hospital in Chennai and Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital to set up vascular, cardio thoracic, plastic surgery, kidney, ENT and operation facilities for children.

The government would upgrade general hospitals in Salem, Vellore, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Trichy and Tuticorin. Equipment for mammography, CT scan, imaging, ultrasound and others will be provided in these hospitals at a cost of Rs 75.10 crore.

Jayaliathaa also announced plans totalling Rs 131.43 crore to upgrade facilities in several small government hospitals.

The announcement was made a day after Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government completed 100 days in office.