The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has sought a report from the Government for its lapses in providing creche facility for the children of women employees at Government offices.
The commission has asked for a reply by December 20 this year.
A notice in this regard has been served to the Women & Child Development Department and Mission Shakti by an OHRC Bench comprising Chairman Justice Bimal Prasad Das, Justice Raghubir Dash and member Asim Amitabh.
The notice refers to a ruling by the Supreme Court in which female workers (muster roll) of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi had moved the apex court in 2000.
A team of lawyers comprising Biswapriya Kanungo, Bijay Kumar Panda, Subhasish Panda, Golak Prasad Nayak, Subrat Mohapatra and Prakash Chandra Das has drawn the attention of the OHRC seeking an order to the WCD to ensure creche facility for the children of women employees engaged at Government workplaces, including the State Secretariat and the Toshali Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
As per the National Minimum Guidelines of the Union Ministry of Women & Child Development, every establishment having 50 or more women employees should have facility of creche under the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017.
However, the Odisha Government is yet to set up such facility for children of women employees at workplaces.
Not only in private organisations, but also in Government offices, no creche has been provided.
