Karnataka private job quota Bill put on hold

Aksheev Thakur

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New Delhi, July 17

The Congress-led Karnataka Government on Wednesday put on hold a Bill directing private firms in the state to reserve jobs for Kannadigas.

The state Cabinet had on Tuesday approved the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, mandating 50 per cent reservation in management and 75 per cent in non-management jobs for locals in the private sector.

The move had drawn the ire of industry leaders and INDIA allies alike. After the uproar, CM Siddaramaiah in a post on X said, “The Bill intended to be implemented to provide 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.”

The CM earlier deleted a post in which he said the state would mandate 100 per cent reservation for locals in group C and D posts in the private sector. State Labour Minister Santosh Lad said the government was trying to introduce a law to give preference to locally available skills. “If a particular skill is not available, jobs can be outsourced and other people can be given work here. But the government is trying to bring in a law to give preference to locally available skills,” Lad said.

Earlier, NASSCOM expressed disappointment and deep concern over the move. “Such restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce,” NASSCOM cautioned.