Maharashtra announces early departure scheme for women staff in MMR

Deputy Prime Minister Sunetra Pawar stated that female employees who come to duty at 9.15 in the morning will be allowed to leave the office 30 minutes early in the evening.

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, in her inaugural address in the Legislative Council, announced the launch of the ‘Come Early, Leave Early’ scheme for women government employees in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The announcement was made on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Ms. Pawar stated that female employees who come to duty at 9.15 am will be allowed to leave 30 minutes early in the evening. The stated aim of the policy is to help women manage their professional and domestic responsibilities. The decision came after discussions on women’s issues in the Parliament, where members, including male MPs, contributed with suggestions.

The plan aims to make women’s commutes easier by allowing them to avoid rush hour traffic. According to the specified conditions, employees arriving between 9.15am and 9.45am will be allowed to leave after completing their scheduled working hours, and the early departure time will correspond to the arrival time.

During his speech, the Deputy Prime Minister also gave an overview of other government initiatives. Talking about schemes like ‘Ladki Bahin’, ‘Lek Ladki’ and ‘Annapurna’, he stated that the government is focusing on their implementation. He also stated that the government intends to introduce stricter laws against financial fraud occurring through online platforms.

In a separate discussion on a proposal on Women’s Day, Ms. Pawar reiterated the government’s commitment to women’s development. She called for collective efforts to build a society that provides respect, opportunities and security for women.

Data on missing persons was presented

The government also shared data on efforts to track down missing persons. Within the scope of ‘Operation Mukan’, 42,594 children were located in 14 campaigns carried out between July 2015 and February 2026. As part of the ‘Search Operation’, authorities tracked down 5,066 women and 2,771 children. It was informed that ‘Lost Cells’ have become operational in all districts and 51 ‘Bharosa Cells’ have been activated to find solutions to women-related problems.

Overview of welfare measures

The administration has given details about various schemes aimed at economic empowerment of women, including ‘Lakhpati Didi’ and ‘Namo Mahila Sashktikaran’. Platforms like ‘Umed Mall’ and ‘Mahalaxmi Saras’ have been introduced to provide market access to products manufactured by self-help groups and the products are also available on online portals.

Regarding the welfare of Anganwadi workers, the government has stated that it is considering improvements in their wages and infrastructure. It has been reported that drinking water facilities have been installed in 17,254 anganwadi centres. Measures to improve women’s safety include deployment of technology and installation of systems against cybercrime at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Churchgate and Borivali stations.

The government has approved 180 days of maternity leave for women working in civil service. In addition, a regulation has been introduced to allow half-paid leave without a medical report for a maximum of one year following maternity leave. The state has also implemented the Fourth Women’s Policy and formed a high-level committee to implement it. In rural areas, ‘Adi Shakti Abhiyan’ is being implemented with the stated objectives of preventing child marriages, creating violence-free villages and reducing school dropout rate among girls.