Women’s wing of AP JAC Amaravati is seeking two years parental leave for women employees

Newly elected members of Andhra Pradesh Joint Action Committee (AP JAC) Amaravati State Women’s Wing at Vijayawada on Sunday. | Photo credit: GN Rao

The women’s wing of AP JAC Amaravati has urged the state government to extend two-year maternity leave to women employees at par with their central government counterparts and provide basic facilities, including separate toilets and childcare centers, in government offices.

Four resolutions to this effect were unanimously passed at the women’s wing state conference held in Vijayawada on Sunday.

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

Three years after the establishment of the women’s wing, a new 21-member state committee was established for the period 2026-2029 with representation comparable to that of the men’s wing of the association. Ponnuru Vijayalakshmi was elected President and P. Rajani General Secretary.

AP JAC Amaravati General Secretary P. Damodara Rao said women workers played a significant role in the association’s agitations to resolve employee-related issues, including the release of two outstanding installments of survivorship allowance, constitution of the 12th Pay Revision Commission, restoration of supplementary pension and introduction of employee health plan.

TV Associate Chairman Phani Perraju said the association will 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 general secretary said the women’s wing had earlier secured an order allowing female employees to use their existing six months of parental leave at any time before retirement. The association will now push to extend the entitlement for two years, they said.

Four resolutions called for equal representation of women in committees at the state, district and divisional levels; two years of parental leave for female state government employees; separate toilets for women in all government offices; and childcare centers in government office complexes at all district headquarters, on the lines of facilities at the State Secretariat.

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

The conference was attended by representatives of various employee unions and female leaders from 28 districts.

Published – 25 Oct 2026 20:38 IST