Karnataka to introduce bill requiring 100% reservation for private players in Kannadigas

The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a bill requiring 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in Group C and Group D posts in private companies, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday.

He said the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

“The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill making it mandatory to recruit 100 per cent Kannadigas for all 'C and D' grade positions in private sector companies in the state,” Siddaramaiah said in a post on X.

“We are a pro-Kannada government. Our first priority is to look after the welfare of Kannadigas,” the chief minister said.

According to sources in the legal department, the Karnataka Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 will be tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

Regarding the appointment of “local candidates”, the bill, a copy of which has been submitted to PTI, says, “Any industry, factory or other establishment shall appoint 50 per cent local candidates for managerial categories and 70 per cent local candidates for non-local candidates.” Management Category. It said that if candidates do not have a secondary school certificate in Kannada as a language, they must pass a Kannada proficiency test specified by the 'Nodal Agency'.

If there are no qualified local candidates, the government or its agencies with active cooperation should take steps to train them within three years.

If there are not enough local candidates, the business can apply to the government to relax the provisions of this law.

The proposed bill says: “Such orders passed by the Government shall be final: Provided that the relaxation provided for in this section shall not be less than twenty-five per cent in the case of managed categories and not less than fifty per cent in the case of unmanaged categories.” .

Every industry, factory or other establishment shall notify the nodal agency of compliance with the provisions of this Act within a prescribed period in the form, a copy of which is given below.

The role of the nodal agency is to verify the reports provided by the employer, occupier or manager of the business and submit a report to the government indicating the implementation of the provisions of this Act.

The nodal agency has the right to request any recorded information or documents in the possession of the employer, occupier or manager of the business to verify the report.

The Government may appoint an officer not below the rank of Assistant Labor Commissioner as an authorized officer for compliance with the provisions of the Act.

Any employer, occupier or manager of an establishment who contravenes the provisions of this Act shall be liable to a fine ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000.

“If the violation continues after imposition of fine, then a further fine of one hundred rupees per day shall be imposed until the violation continues,” the proposed bill said.

(This report has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)