Bengaluru:

The Karnataka government has paused, and will further study, a bill directing private firms in the state to reserve jobs for Kannadigas. The bill, cleared Monday, requires firms in India’s IT capital to prioritise local hires for 70 per cent of non-management roles and 50 per cent of management-level jobs.

“The bill intended to implement reservation for Kannadigas in private sector institutions, industries and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A final decision will be taken after comprehensive discussion in the next cabinet meeting,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has posted on X.

The quota announcement was first made by the Chief Minister Tuesday evening.

The Chief Minister said his “pro-Kannada government” would ensure all “Kannadigas (get) an opportunity to lead a comfortable life in the motherland… and avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada”. However, his X post said the bill mandated 100 per cent reservation at certain levels.

Fury and outrage followed Siddaramaiah’s post, with business leaders like Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and the opposition, led by the BJP, targeting the Congress government.

There was, though, a measure of support from a surprising quarter – Union Minister Ramdas Athawale. Mr Athawale, the MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment, told NDTV he backed all measures that would benefit the backward classes – whether from the OBC, SC, or ST communities.

READ | “My Party Demands…”: Union Minister’s Support Amid Job Quota Row

“My party demands Government of India and states give reservations to OBCs in the private sector. We are not opposing candidates from the General Category,” he said.

READ | In Row Over Karnataka 100% Quota Bill, Chief Minister Deletes Post

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Chief Minister’s post was deleted this afternoon after clarification from Labour Minister Santosh Lad. “At management level, it has been decided to provide reservation of 50 per cent. At the non-management level, it has been decided to provide work to 70 per cent…”

He also said that if companies were unable to hire suitable skilled candidates from this restricted pool, they could then look at hiring people from outside the state.

“If such skills are not available (in Kannadigas) then the jobs can be outsourced. The government is trying to bring in a law to give preference to locals… if skilled labour is available here…” he said.

However, he insisted there is no dearth of talent in the state.

The quota saw a mixed reception when introduced.

Some businesspersons called it “discriminatory” while others, like Ms Mazumdar-Shaw, acknowledged the need to ensure jobs for locals but added caveats.

As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy. @siddaramaiah@DKShivakumar@PriyankKhargehttps://t.co/itYWdHcMWw

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 17, 2024

Software industry body Nasscom, which represents India’s $200 billion technology industry, sought its withdrawal saying the bill “threaten to drive away companies”. “… the restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce,” the top industry body said Wednesday.

READ | Karnataka Job Quota May Force “Companies To Relocate”: Nasscom

Responding to these concerns, Mr Lad told news agency ANI he would speak to them. “We respect their apprehensions and their views. We will talk to them…” he had said.

Drafted by the Labour Department, the proposed bill claimed the jobs in question were being given largely to people from the northern states who were then settling in Karnataka. It proposed that Karnataka-based companies benefitting from state-provided infrastructure reserve jobs for locals.

The proposed policy, it is understood, reflected recommendations made by the Sarojini Mahishi Committee, which said large, medium and small-scale industrial units with over 50 workers had to reserve 65 and 80 per cent of Group A and Group B jobs for Kannadigas.

All Group C and Group D jobs would be kept for Kannadigas, the report had said.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

New Delhi:

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale told NDTV Wednesday his party, the Republican Party of India (Athawale), “demands the Government of India and state governments” provide quotas for private sector jobs for candidates from OBCs, or Other Backward Classes.

“Many people are there (looking for jobs in private sector companies) from SC and ST… but there is no reservation. Soon maybe government sector (companies) will also become private…” he said to NDTV.

“My party demands the Government of India and state governments give reservations to OBCs in the private sector. We are not opposing candidates from the General Category,” Mr Athawale said.

Ramdas Athawale is a Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.

Mr Athawale’s demand comes amid controversy in Karnataka over a move to reserve 70 per cent of non-management private sector jobs, and 50 per cent at management-level, for Kannadigas.

READ | Karnataka Okays Bill For 100% Quota For Locals In Private Firms

Earlier Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed there would be 100 per cent reservation.

A social media post Tuesday making that announcement was deleted this afternoon. 

READ | In Row Over Karnataka 100% Quota Bill, Chief Minister Deletes Post

Reservation will be capped at 70 per cent for non-management roles and 50 per cent for management-level employees, Labour Minister Santosh S Lad clarified.

READ | Karnataka Job Quota May Force “Companies To Relocate”

The quota saw a mixed reception. Some business leaders called it “discriminatory” while others, like Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, said there is a need to ensure jobs for locals but added caveats.

As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy. @siddaramaiah@DKShivakumar@PriyankKhargehttps://t.co/itYWdHcMWw

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 17, 2024

It also comes amid rumblings in recent months about similar initiatives in other states, specifically BJP-ruled Haryana, which will hold an Assembly election this year. The state – dominated by the BJP in the past two general elections – saw the ruling party and the Congress split its 10 seats this time.

Given the close fight in the Lok Sabha election, the state election is likely to be hard-fought.

Reservations In Haryana, Other States

The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act was passed in 2020. It directed private firms in the state to hire local candidates – i.e., those with domicile certificates, for which the time requirement was dropped from 15 years to five – for 75 per cent of jobs paying less than Rs 30,000.

The proposal was piloted by the Jannayak Janata Party, then a BJP ally. Reservation for locals was a 2019 Lok Sabha poll promise by JJP boss Dushyant Chautala, who was also Deputy Chief Minister.

READ | “Unconstitutional”: Court Scraps Haryana’s 75% Quota In Private Sector

However, in November last year the Punjab and Haryana High Court struck down the law, calling it “unconstitutional” and saying the restrictions imposed could have a “far-reaching effect”.

And in Telangana, where the Congress recorded a big win in the November 2023 Assembly election, the party had promised 75 per cent reservation for locals in the private sector. The year before the Telangana government – then controlled by the BRS – reserved 95 per cent in all state-run companies.

READ | Jharkhand To Reserve 75% Jobs In Private Sector For Locals

In 2021 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said his government intends to formulate a new domicile policy and reserve 75 per cent of jobs in the private sector for locals.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.