Maharashtra secretariat to have room for breast-feeding

Mumbai: To make breast-feeding easier for government employees, Maharashtra government has decided to construct a separate room and a cradle for children at the state secretariat and other government offices.

"I have directed the concerned departments to ensure there are separate rooms constructed in state secretariat and all other large government offices that can be used by breast-feeding women to feed their children without any disturbance," State Women and Child Welfare minister Pankaja Munde told reporters here today.

Pankaja Munde. File pic

Munde said she has instructed officials from her department, General Administration department and Public Works department (PWD) in writing to construct breastfeeding rooms at the earliest.

"It is very important for a child's health to receive her mother's milk. Thus it is necessary for all government and private offices to have a separate room and cradles for breastfeeding women," Munde said.

"Even previously, the state government had directed officials to construct such rooms. But work was not done then. Separate rooms will now be constructed at the earliest," she added.