Creche rules notified in Karnataka for establishments with 50 or more employees
Karnataka State Government vide Gazette Notification No.LD 127 LET 2018 dated August 8 2019, notified the Karnataka Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Rules, 2019 (“Karnataka Creche Rules”), wherein new rules relating to crèche facilities is inserted in the Karnataka Maternity Benefit Rules, 1966.
Earlier, the Central Government vide Gazette Notification dated March 28, 2017 had amended the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (“Act”) by inserting a new Section 11A mandating every establishment with fifty or more employees to have the facility of crèche and also to intimate in writing and electronically to every woman at the time of her initial appointment regarding every benefit available under the Act. Further, the Central Government vide Gazette Notification No.S.O. 1026(E) dated March 31 2017, & S.O. 1049 (E) dated April 3 2017, had notified that the crèche related provision will be effective from July 1, 2017.
Further, the Government of India vide its Circular dated November 17 2017, requested that the State Governments being the appropriate Government under the Act, may take immediate action to frame and notify rules for the crèche facilities. The Karnataka State Government had published the draft rules on July 21 2018, inviting comments from the public and the present Karnataka Creche Rules was notified effective from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
The compliance under the Karnataka Creche Rules is shown in the below table:
| Standards |
Compliance Requirements |
| Number of Creches |
- One crèche for use of children below 6 years of age for every thirty children
- Creche facility to be provided to employees of all types of employment like permanent, temporary, regular, daily wage, contract labour etc.
|
| Location |
- To be situated within half a kilometre from the gate of the establishment
- Easy access to the parents
- To be away from excessively noisy process or dust/fumes/odours etc.
|
| Building |
- Construction of room height of at least 9 feet with heat resistant material and waterproof with fencing
- 5 Square Feet floor area for each child in crèche
- Shady open-air playground well maintained/safe/secure or ensure safety/security in case of use of public playgrounds or parks
- Artificial lightning to be connected with emergency power back up
- Kitchen or in its absence, employer to make available hygienic food/beverages
- Dedicated water purifier & washbasins at 1 for every 15 children
- Washroom adjoining crèche with a separate facility for drying of soiled clothes and change of dresses
- Separate ‘Latrine’ for children at 1 for every 20 children and separate ‘Latrine’ for staff/mothers adjoining the bathroom
|
| Facilities |
- To be open 24/7 for employees working in shifts with not more than eight hours a day per shift
- Uniforms and clean clothes for staff as well as children
- Water supply at the rate of 5 gallons per child per day
- Supply of clean towels, oil and soap
- Play and teaching materials, display of daily schedule/norms of child safety etc.
- Medical check-up of children before admission and once in two months
- Recording of Body-Mass Index once a month and other medical examination to be stored in the crèche
- 250 ml of milk per child below the age of two years and adequate refreshments for child above two years
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| Equipments |
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- Furniture for child and parents
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- First Aid Kit/ Medicine Kit
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| Staff |
- One women ‘Teacher cum Warden’ who is Government recognized qualification holder & training in childcare
- One woman ‘Creche Attender’ who is qualified or trained in midwifery
- One woman ‘Ayah’ for every 10/15 children
|
Source: Kindly click here to access the notification
