The Odisha Government has extended maternity and paternity leave to State Government employees opting for surrogacy parenthood, an official of the Finance department said.

“Maternity leave of 180 days to female government employees and paternity leave of 15 days to the male government employees has been extended by the State Government ”, an office memorandum issued by the state finance department said Thursday.

“A State Government female employee, having less than two surviving children, who becomes a surrogate mother, shall be eligible for maternity leave of 180 days,” it said.

Proposal for grant of maternity and paternity leave to State Government employees in case of attainment of parenthood by surrogacy has been under active consideration of the State Government for the past some time.

The Central Government has in the meanwhile extended maternity and paternity leave benefits to the Central Government employees attaining parenthood by surrogacy.

“Government of India, has extended maternity leave and paternity leave benefits to Central Government employees attaining parenthood by surrogacy. In view of this, the State Government extended maternity leave and paternity leave benefits to State Government employees, attaining parenthood by surrogacy,” the memo added.

”A State Government female employee, having less than two surviving children who becomes a ‘commissioning mother’ shall also be eligible for 180-day the maternity leave. The male State Government employee upon attaining surrogate father and ‘commissioning father’ will be entitled to get 15-day leave.”

Commissioning mother means a biological mother who uses her eggs to create an embryo implanted in any other woman.

If both the surrogate mother and the commissioning mother are state government employees, both will be eligible for 180 days of maternity leave each.

”Agreement on surrogacy made between the surrogate mother and commissioning parents along with supporting medical documents from either registered doctors or hospitals shall be produced for claiming maternity and paternity leave”, it added.