Karnataka approves 12 menstrual leaves a year across sectors

BENGALURU: Karnataka cabinet, chaired by CM Siddaramaiah, Thursday approved a argumentation granting 1 paid menstrual permission each period (12 successful a year) to women employees crossed each sectors - including authorities offices, garment factories, IT firms, MNCs, and backstage concern units.

The inaugural is expected to payment implicit 50 lakh women successful the state, and the argumentation is apt to beryllium notified soon.CM Siddaramaiah described the argumentation arsenic a measurement toward creating a much humane, understanding, and inclusive workplace. With this move, Karnataka joins Bihar and Odisha successful granting menstrual permission to women employees. While Bihar restricts the payment to women authorities unit (two days per month), Odisha offers 12 specified leaves annually to women employees crossed each sectors.Law Commission of Karnataka drafted the Karnataka Menstrual Leave and Hygiene Bill, 2025, proposing 12 days of permission for moving women and 2 days each period for students. Of the 75 stakeholder responses received, 56 supported the move. The draught prescribes a good of up to Rs 5,000 for employers who contradict permission oregon discriminate against menstruating employees.According to the government's Periodic Labour Force Survey, Karnataka has 1 of the highest pistillate labour unit information rates successful the country, astatine 31.5%. Bengaluru, with a colonisation of 14 million, is location to thousands of startups and MNCs specified arsenic Walmart and Google, arsenic good arsenic large Indian tech firms similar Infosys and Wipro.

Labour curate Santosh Lad said the argumentation had been worked retired implicit the past year. "Women enarthrosis aggregate responsibilities, from household chores to caring for children. During menstruation, they acquisition carnal and intelligence stress. A committee had recommended six days of permission annually, but the authorities decided to assistance 12 days of paid permission annually," helium added.