Sikkim, the northeastern state of India, has become the first in the country to announce a year-long maternity leave for the government employees, reports emerged on Friday.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced that the government employees will be granted 12 –month maternity leave and one-month paternity leave to help them take care of the children.

He made the announcement while addressing the annual general meeting of the Sikkim State Civil Service Officers’ Association (SSCSOA) in Gangtok informing that the details of the extended leave will be notified soon.

CM Tamang said, “The officers are the backbone of the state administration, contributing significantly to the growth and development of Sikkim and its people.”

The Sikkim Government made the significant move as the state has the lowest population in the country at nearly 6.32 lakh.