Karnataka to grant one day of menstrual leave per month for women employees across sectors: Report
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Bengaluru: In a landmark move, the Karnataka government is planning to introduce the Menstrual Leave Policy (MLP) 2025, which will grant female employees one day of paid menstrual leave every month, as reported by The New Indian Express on Thursday.
The policy is designed to address the health needs of women in the workforce and will be mandatory for both public and private sector employers.
The Karnataka cabinet is expected to discuss and approve the proposal during its meeting on Thursday. Once approved, the Menstrual Leave Policy will apply to all women employees across various industries, including government offices, various private sector industries like garment factories, multi-national companies, IT and other companies that are operating within the state.
Labour Minister Santosh Lad emphasised that Karnataka would become the first state to implement such a comprehensive policy. “This is applicable for all the women workforce irrespective of government and private sector. This will be a progressive bill,’’ TNIE quoted Lad as saying.
The policy has evolved from an initial proposal in 2024 that offered six menstrual leaves per year to its current version, which provides twelve days of paid leave annually. “I am aware of the physical pain and mental stress that every woman go through during this time. These days, women are in every field. This policy will help each one of them. I am hoping that this will be approved in the cabinet on Thursday,’’ Lad explained.
Karnataka’s move could have a significant impact, especially in Bengaluru, which hosts hundreds of garment factories and a large number of IT companies. The city has over five lakh garment workers, 90 percent of whom are women, along with many women employed in the IT sector. “This policy if approved will help women in large number,’’ Lad added.
Meanwhile, Kerala has introduced two days of menstrual leave per month for female trainees in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), while Bihar and Odisha have implemented a 12-day annual menstrual leave policy, limited to state government employees.
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Former minister C M Ibrahim announces to launch new regional party for Karnataka
Kalaburagi: Two years after being expelled from the Janata Dal (Secular), former minister C.M. Ibrahim has announced that he will launch a new regional political party in Karnataka on January 24, reported Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Andolana in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Ibrahim confirmed the birth of the new party.
The 77-year-old politician stated he would soon be meeting with other like-minded individuals to choose a symbol for the party.
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Ibrahim emphasised that the organisation would be guided by the principles of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
A veteran politician, Ibrahim served as Union Civil Aviation Minister during the tenure of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and later headed the Karnataka unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was expelled from the JD(S) in 2023 on charges of anti-party activities.
His exit from the party followed sharp differences over the JD(S) decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the then state president of the JD(S), Ibrahim had publicly criticised the alliance, claiming it was finalised without his knowledge. He had also reportedly convened meetings of his supporters and expressed support for the INDIA bloc.
