Dear Balaji,
Maternity benefit is a statutory right of a woman employee under the Maternity Benefit Act,1961 irrespective of the capacity or status of employment such as regular, fixed-term contract, contract labor or temporary and the amount of salary/wages subject to the conditions of the establishment being one falling within section 2 (1) of the Act and her completion of 80 days of service in the establishment during the preceding 12 months period from the date of her expected delivery. Since she is not covered under the ESI Act,1948 for whatever reasons, her entitlement to maternity benefit under the Act is clear.