AP JAC Amaravati women’s wing seeks two years of childcare leave for women employees

The AP JAC Amaravati women’s wing has urged the State government to extend two years of childcare leave to women employees on a par with their counterparts in the Central government and provide essential facilities, including separate toilets and childcare centres, in government offices.

Four resolutions to this effect were unanimously adopted at a State-level conference of the women’s wing held in Vijayawada on Sunday.

AP JAC Amaravati State chairman Bopparaju Venkateswarlu said the association would strengthen its women’s wing to safeguard the rights of women employees, address their grievances and promote their empowerment.

Marking three years since the formation of the women’s wing, a new 21-member State committee was constituted for the 2026–2029 term, with representation on a par with that of the association’s men’s wing. Ponnuru Vijayalakshmi was elected chairperson and P. Rajani secretary general.

AP JAC Amaravati secretary general P. Damodara Rao said women employees had played a significant role in the association’s agitations for resolving employee-related issues, including the release of two pending instalments of dearness allowance, constitution of the 12th Pay Revision Commission, restoration of the additional quantum of pension and implementation of the employees’ health scheme.

Associate chairman T.V. Phani Perraju said the association would strengthen committees at the district and divisional levels to promote women’s leadership and increase their participation in decision-making.

The newly elected chairperson and secretary general said the women’s wing had earlier secured an order allowing women employees to avail themselves of their existing six months of childcare leave at any time before retirement. The association would now press for extending the entitlement to two years, they said.

The four resolutions called for equal representation for women in committees at the State, district and divisional levels; two years of childcare leave for women employees of the State government; separate toilets for women in all government offices; and childcare centres in government office complexes at all district headquarters, on the lines of the facility at the State Secretariat.

The new committee pledged to work collectively to secure women employees’ rights, job security, equal opportunities and better working conditions, and to resort to organised protests if necessary to achieve their legitimate demands.

Representatives of various employee unions and women leaders from 28 districts attended the conference.