Rules are framed for the convenience of the people whether in government or private sector but enforcement of rules with the purposes they are framed gives people sense of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Child Care Leave rule framed and put on implementation mode is triggering grievances from women employees across Jammu & Kashmir as most of the women employees are upset with the way heads of the departments (HoDs’) allegedly deny them the child care leave concession till their children attain the age of 18. While complaints are galore that some administrative secretaries have stayed the implementation of the child care leave concessions in their concerned departments without any rhyme and reason, the aggrieved female employees allege intentional delays by their concerned heads of departments (HoDs). Under the existing rules women employees, having minor children, can be granted child care leave for a maximum period of two years (730 days) during their entire service period for taking care of up to two children upto 18 years of age, whether for rearing or to look after any of their need . Obviously the right to child care leave to female employees has been put on implementation mode in view of the people’s concerns on development of women and child in Jammu & Kashmir like many states and union territories of the country. The allegations are galore more against the heads of departments (HoDs’) of education, health and social welfare departments in whose offices the child care leave applications of the women employees are gathering dust for months together.
For the fear of harassment by their immediate controlling authorities some aggrieved women employees may not dare to lodge a formal complaint before the higher ups of their concerned departments but it is for the General Administration Department to take note of denials by the heads of departments (HoDs’) on such sensitive matters concerning the sensitive issue of the development of women and child in Jammu & Kashmir. Better it would have been if the administrative secretaries would seek monthly reports about the feedback of the women employees on the implementation of the child care leave matters from the heads of their concerned departments.
Though as per rules an employee once granted child care leave can even move outside the country with the prior approval of the competent authority but unfortunately even women employees applying for child care leave with the purposes of taking care of their children due to pressing family compulsions at their homes too are allegedly denied sanction for child care leave. While complaints of denying the right to child care leave are galore in health, education and social welfare departments the General Administration Department (GAD), according to the aggrieved women employees, has not taken note of even a single such complaint so for. For the fear of harassment by their immediate controlling authorities some aggrieved women employees may not dare to lodge a formal complaint before the higher ups of their concerned departments but it is for the General Administration Department to take note of denials by the heads of departments (HoDs’) on such sensitive matters concerning the sensitive issue of the development of women and child in Jammu & Kashmir. Better it would have been if the administrative secretaries would seek monthly reports about the feedback of the women employees on the implementation of the child care leave matters from the heads of their concerned departments.
