Bhubaneswar, March 12: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expanded the allocation of casual leave to 25 days for women employees across various government departments, announced on Tuesday.

According to an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office, women employees in government departments will now enjoy 25 days of casual leave annually, a significant increase from the previous 15 days allotted to government personnel.

Currently, government employees receive 15 casual leaves per year. With the additional allocation of 10 days, women government employees will now have access to 25 days of casual leave.

This decision reflects the government's concern over the domestic responsibilities and other challenges faced by women employees in balancing work and personal life. Notably, Odisha was the pioneering state to introduce 33 percent reservation for women in government jobs during the 1990s.

Earlier initiatives by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have included various benefits for block grant employees of educational institutions, encompassing casual leave, maternity leave, and retirement benefits.

Under the recent announcement, block grant employees of schools and colleges will receive 15 casual leaves annually, while women employees will be granted 180 days of maternity leave for their first two children.

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