CM Siddaramaiah puts bill on job reservation for Kannadigas in private sector on hold for now

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday evening said that the bill enforcing 50 per cent reservation for administrative posts and 75 per cent for non-administrative posts for Kannadigas in private sector organisations, industries and enterprises has been temporarily put on hold.

The Karnataka cabinet had on Tuesday approved the Bill that seeks to reserve 50 per cent of management jobs and 75 per cent of non-management jobs for locals in the private sector. On Wednesday several industry leaders in the state objected to the move saying that it is “discriminatory” and raised apprehensions that the tech industry may suffer.

According to the chief minister, the bill will be revisited and decided upon in the coming days.”The bill approved by the cabinet to provide reservations for Kannadigas in private sector organisations, industries and enterprises has been temporarily put on hold. This will be revisited and decided in the coming days”, Siddaramaiah posted on X.

The draft bill intended to provide reservations for Kannadigas in private sector companies, industries, and enterprises is still in the preparation stage.

A comprehensive discussion will be held in the next cabinet meeting to make a final decision.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2024

The CM said in another post on X, “The draft bill intended to provide reservations for Kannadigas in private sector companies, industries, and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A comprehensive discussion will be held in the next cabinet meeting to make a final decision”.

Earlier on Wednesday, the CM clarified that the cabinet, in its Tuesday meeting, approved a bill enforcing 50 per  cent reservation for administrative posts and 75 per cent for non-administrative posts for Kannadigas in private industries. He had indicated that the government would seek 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in C and D category jobs. However, in his amended post, the CM has not included this.

Earlier, the CM had said on his official X handle, “The cabinet meeting held approved the bill to fix 50 per cent reservation for administrative posts and 75 per cent for non-administrative posts for Kannadigas in private industries and other organizations of the state”.

ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಖಾಸಗಿ ಕೈಗಾರಿಕೆಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಇತರೆ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಆಡಳಿತಾತ್ಮಕ ಹುದ್ದೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಶೇ.50 ಹಾಗೂ ಆಡಳಿತಾತ್ಮಕವಲ್ಲದ ಹುದ್ದೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಶೇ.75 ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ನಿಗದಿಪಡಿಸುವ ವಿಧೇಯಕಕ್ಕೆ ಸೋಮವಾರ ನಡೆದ ಸಚಿವ ಸಂಪುಟ ಸಭೆಯು ಒಪ್ಪಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದೆ.

ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರು ಕನ್ನಡದ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ವಂಚಿತರಾಗುವುದನ್ನು ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿ, ತಾಯ್ನಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ… pic.twitter.com/Rz6a0vNCBz

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2024

The CM said it is the government’s priority to look after the welfare of Kannadigas. “It is our government’s wish that the Kannadigas should avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada and should be allowed to build a comfortable life in the motherland. We are a pro-Kannada government. Our priority is to look after the welfare of the Kannadigas”, he said on X.

Earlier, Industries Minister M B Patil said that they will have wide consultations, resolve the confusion and ensure that the interests of Kannadigas are protected along with those of industries after industrialists from Karnataka expressed their apprehensions about the new Bill.

“I have seen that many people have apprehensions regarding this. We will resolve this confusion. We will sit with the CM and resolve this so that it does not have any adverse effect,” Patil said on Wednesday.

“Keeping the interests of #Kannadigas paramount, I will discuss this issue with the Hon’ble CM Sh @siddaramaiah, IT-BT Minister, Law Minister, and Labour Minister. We will have wider consultations. We will ensure that the interests of Kannadigas are protected, alongside those of the industries”, Patil said in a post on X.

The minister also emphasised that all states should be at their “competitive peak” in the “competitive era” of manufacturing and the industrial revolution. “India is currently experiencing a manufacturing and industrial revolution driven by the global China Plus One policy. In this competitive era, states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana are striving to be at their best. It is of utmost importance for all states to be at their competitive peak”, Patil said.

Patil said that Karnataka cannot lose in the “once-in-a-century race of industrialization” and will ensure that everyone’s interests are safeguarded. “Karnataka is a progressive state, and we cannot afford to lose in this once-in-a-century race of industrialization. We will make sure that everyone’s interests are safeguarded. The Industries are assured that they need not have any fear or apprehensions and can rest assured”, Patil said. (ANI)