Himachal Approves 6-Month Child Adoption Leave for Women Staff.

• The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved child adoption leave of 180 days for regular women employees of the State government.
• The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting in Shimla chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
• The nod was given by adopting Rule 43-B of CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972.

About:

• The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, recognizes that adoptive mothers too need to take some time off to tend to their children, represents some progress.
• Adoption in India is a contested issue rife with legal and bureaucratic hurdles.
• It’s governed under two different laws: the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956; and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
• There are several strict rules in place that determine the eligibility and suitability of prospective parents.
• These include parameters on composite age for couples, rules of adoption for single parents, a minimum duration of marriage for couples seeking to adopt, and the age of the prospective adopted child.