(1) Subject to any rules that may be made in this behalf, every worker shall be entitled to obtain from his employer--
         (a) in the case of sickness certified by a qualified medical practitioner, sickness allowance, and
         (b) if a woman, in the case of confinement or expected confinement, maternity allowance, at such rate, for such period and at such intervals as may be prescribed.
     (2) The State Government may make rules regulating the payment of sickness or maternity allowance and any such rules may specify the circumstances in which such allowance shall not be payable or shall cease to be payable, and in framing any rules under this section the State Government shall have due regard to the medical facilities that may be provided by the employer in any plantation.