Chennai: Two months after Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced enhancing maternity leave period for women government employees from six to nine months, the state government on Monday issued an order to implement it.

A Government Order (GO) of the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department recalled that Jayalalithaa had made an announcement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in September, promising to increase the leave period from the existing six months or 180 days to nine months, i.e 270 days.

"The women government servants who proceeded on maternity leave, prior to the date of issue of this order and continue to be on this leave as of now, are also eligible for availing maternity leave upto nine months (270 days) in total," it said.

Necessary amendments to the Fundamental Rules will be issued separately, it added.

Woman employees "with less than two surviving children", were eligible for the 9-month maternity leave with full pay, it added.

The period may be "spread over from the pre-confinement rest to post-confinement recuperation, at the option of the woman government servant," it said.

On September 1, Jayalalithaa had said that maternity leave for women government employees will be increased from six to nine months, fulfilling her party's electoral promise.

She had earlier enhanced it from three to six months after assuming office in 2011.