The Rajya Sabha has cleared the bill that allows doubling of the amount meant for tax-free gratuity from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.
Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was cleared by the Lok Sabha on March 15. It also enables the Centre to notify a new a fresh ceiling for gratuity periodically.
The bill will also enable the government to finalise the duration for maternity leave via executive orders.
The Centre passed the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act in 2017, widening the period for maternity leave to 26 weeks. The gratuity bill, which also deals into notification pertaining to maternity leave as part of continuous service, will also permit the Centre to finales a duration for the tenure of maternity leave.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Venkaiah Naidu informed the house that he had a meeting with the leaders of several parties and it have been decided that the bill would soon be decided upon. Just after this announcement, Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar passed the bill.
