A first: Child care leave for single father in Punjab

Now fathers can also avail child care leave in Punjab, announced Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema here on Tuesday.

In a press statement, he said the Punjab Government had introduced two pivotal amendments to the existing Child Care Leave (CCL) provisions. “First, the benefit of child care leave has now been extended to single male parents, including widowers, divorced fathers and unmarried fathers. Second, the government has relaxed the upper age limit of 18 years for 40 per cent disabled children with severe disabilities,” he added.

He said these amendments aimed at providing the much-needed flexibility and additional support to parents caring for children with long-term special needs, ensuring they could dedicate time to their well-being without compromising their careers.

Cheema said the changes had been designed to address the evolving needs of working parents, particularly those facing unique childcare challenges.

He said previously the policy extended only to female government employees with minor children below the age of 18. “While this initiative provided essential support to working mothers, it did not account for the diverse familial structures and specific challenges faced by single fathers and parents of children with severe disabilities,” he added.