In this file photo taken on Dec. 12, 2012, nurses hug newly born babies at Cama Obless hospital in Mumbai, India. (Xinhua/Stringer)
NEW DELHI, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Indian parliament has passed a law that increases paid maternity leave from the previously granted 12 weeks to 26 weeks, officials said Friday.
The bill was passed on Thursday by India's lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha) nine months after the upper house (Rajya Sabha) approved it.
"With this new law, working women will now be able to avail the 26-week leave," an official said. "This 26-week leave will be applicable only for their first two children and beyond that they will be entitled to just 12 weeks of paid leave."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described the legislation of the bill as a "landmark moment."
"Passage of the Maternity Benefit Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha is a landmark moment in our efforts toward women-led development," Modi wrote on twitter.
"Maternity Benefit Amendment Bill ensures better health and wellbeing of the mother and child. Increase in maternity leave is a welcome provision."
The new law will apply to all establishments employing 10 or more people and also requires every establishment with 50 or more employees to provide creche facilities within a prescribed distance.
"Employment of women is protected thanks to Maternity Benefit Amendment Bill. Mandatory provision of creche in offices is laudable," Modi said.
The bill will benefit about 1.8 million women in India.
India's Labor Minister Bandaru Dattatreya who brought amendments to the old law - Maternity Benefit Act - said the law was "a humble gift" to women.
"This is my humble gift to women, a day after the world celebrated the International Women's Day," Dattatreya said in parliament.
The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity to take care for her child and entitles her to full pay during the absence from work.
India's maternity leave is now the third longest duration in world, after Canada and Norway, which give 50 and 44 weeks respectively.
The bill will be sent for presidential assent to become a law, which is a mere formality.
