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 “That the Bill further to amend the Maternity Benefit Act, as passed by Rajya Sabha, be taken into consideration.”       KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV (SILCHAR): I would like to thank you, Sir.  The Maternity Benefit Bill 2016 is an important Bill.  I was just crossing my mind this morning whether this Bill has been brought today in light of the fact that yesterday was the International Women’s Day or not.  In my view this Bill addresses the dilemma of women in organized sector who are pregnant or lactating but it is not just about the women of India.  The reason I say this is the strength of our future generation, their capacity to work, whether it is health or strength, internal or external, it directly depends on how well we look after our women when they are pregnant and how much of care we give our women during the period when they are lactating or when they are breastfeeding their children. This Bill although focuses on that phase of a woman’s life but how well we implement this Bill has a direct impact on the health of our future generations.  After all, it is a woman’s physical strength which will give birth to a strong child, which will in turn take part in some form of nation building.         

… (Interruptions)

KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV: Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to remind the hon. Minister that it is in his Statement of Objects and Reasons that he is talking about the well being of the mother and the child. Assuming that my Government means what they say and my Government will act on what they say, I request you to remove this restriction on the third and the fourth child.

          Last but not the least is the facility of a crèche. As the hon. Minister said, there is a criteria where there are 50 employees and more, there is a requirement of a crèche which is mandatory. Now the question I ask rather is: “Would it be better if all the 50 employees were men, there would be no requirement for a creche?” So, the criteria should be rephrased to say, if any establishment has five women or more, three women or more or even one woman, whatever the hon. Minister is saying, that is when a requirement of a crèche should become mandatory. Otherwise, in an establishment of 50 male employees, how can it be mandatory? So, I would end by saying that, do not restrict it to four visits because there are enough examples in the world where nursing breaks or encourages into whatever extent as required by the women. It is very draconian to say four, three, five, two times because there is no logic to it in any legislation.

Lastly, how will you universalise this? My only concern is, how are we going to pay it or implement it? How is it going to be universal fair treatment for all?

About the third child, in India, there are a lot of families where women does not have the third child out of her freewill, that is the point Kumari Sushmita Dev made. My point is different. I am the only child. My mother fortunately never worked. She would not have got the second leave and benefits. But in the case like Kumari Sushmita, who is the first child, what is her fault? That is not the choice she had as a child. I don’t know whether her mother had to have the third child. We really need to look at it in a larger way because by the time you have, if you are really looking at biologically, by the time you have your third and fourth child, the women is physically exhausted, and also biologically exhaustive. Is it a fair deal? If it is the family planning issue, we can talk about it. … (Interruptions) I have had children, you haven’t, let us not get into argument. This is Parliament. Anyway, men are talking of menopause, about which I have serious objections. Who are you to decide when are we menopausing? I have complete objection on all this? … (Interruptions)

KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV (SILCHAR): Ananthkumar ji, you should select some descent speakers.… (Interruptions)
SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: We are not helpless by any standard.… (Interruptions)
श्री रमेश बिधूड़ी: महिलाएं अपने अधिकार के लिए कहां जाएंगी, इसीलिए महिलाओं के सुरक्षा अधिकार की बात करते हुए इस बिल का समर्थन करते हुए अपनी वाणी को विराम देता हूं।                                                                                  
KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV: Look at the quality of the debate in your presence.… (Interruptions)