We are pro-Kannada: Siddaramaiah justifies govt Bill on private sector jobs for locals

Bengaluru: In the Cabinet meeting held on Monday, the bill to provide job reservation for Kannadigas in C and D grade jobs was approved by the karnataka cabinet. Officials from the Labor Department said that the Bill will be presented and passed in the same session. 

"The cabinet meeting held on Monday approved the bill to fix 50% reservation for administrative posts and 75% for non-administrative posts for Kannadigas in private industries and other organizations of the state," Siddaramaiah said in a post on X.

"We are a pro-Kannada government. Our priority is to look after the welfare of the Kannadigas," he said.

Earlier he had shared a post on X saying "The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill to make it mandatory to hire 100 percent Kannadigas for "C and D" grade posts in all private industries in the state." 

After facing backlashes from various industrial leaders, he had later removed the post.

According to sources in the law department, the 'Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024' will be tabled on Thursday in the Assembly. On the appointment of 'Local Candidates', the bill says, "Any industry, factory or other establishments shall appoint 50 percent of local candidates in management categories and 70 percent in non-management categories."

If the candidates do not possess secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language, they must pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the 'Nodal Agency',  and if the qualified local candidates are not available, the establishments within three years with active collaboration of government or its agencies should take steps to train them, it says.

If sufficient number of local candidates are not available, then an establishment may apply for relaxation from the provisions of this Act to the government.

"Such orders passed by the Government shall be final: Provided that, the relaxation provided under this section shall not be less than 25 per cent for management category and 50 per cent for non-management categories," the proposed bill says.

Every industry or factory or other establishment should inform the nodal agency about the compliance of the provisions of this Act in such form, within such period as may be prescribed, the copy of the bill read.

The role of the nodal agency will be to verify the reports furnished by an employer or occupier or manager of an establishment and submit a report to the government indicating the implementation of the provisions of this Act. The nodal agency will have powers to call for any records information or documents in the possession of an employer or occupier or manager of an establishment for the purpose of verifying the report.

The government may appoint an officer not below the rank of Assistant Labour Commissioner as the authorised officer for the purpose of compliance of the provisions of the Act. Any employer or occupier or manager of an establishment, who contravenes the provisions of this Act, should be liable for a penalty between Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.

"If the contravention continues after penalty has been imposed, then, with further penalty which may extend to one hundred rupees for each day till the time contravention so continues," the proposed bill says. 

PTI