Shimla, Feb. 20 -- In a landmark decision aimed at supporting women government employees, the Himachal Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has introduced a 60-day special maternity leave for women who experience a stillbirth or the loss of a child soon after birth.

In a statement the state government said currently, woman government employees with less than two surviving children are entitled to 180 days of maternity leave from the date of commencement. The newly announced special maternity leave will be available under the same eligibility conditions but will apply exclusively in cases of stillbirth or neonatal loss. This leave can only be availed for deliveries in authorized hospitals.

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