Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Wednesday that the Congress government will not interfere with the technical requirements of the companies.
While answering questions by media persons here on the objections of industrialists to the state government’s reservation policy to provide jobs for Kannada people, Dy CM Shivakumar said, “The companies have grown in Karnataka. We will give exemptions for technical requirements. It’s not that we will prevent them from recruitment. However, the companies will have to bring the matter to the government’s notice,” he underlined.
When asked about the reservation of a certain percentage on management and other jobs, Shivakumar stated that there is a ceiling on jobs and further information could be revealed later. The bill is being introduced in the session, he said. “We can’t disclose every detail,” he said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday announced that a bill providing for reservation for Kannadigas in the private companies in the state has been cleared by the cabinet and will be introduced in the state Assembly.
In a post on X, CM Siddaramaiah said: “The cabinet meeting held yesterday has given consent for the Bill giving 100 per cent reservation for Kannada people for the posts in ‘C’ and ‘D’ category jobs in all private companies operating the state.”
As per sources, The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, mandates that industries, factories, and other establishments appoint local candidates in 50 per cent of management positions and 75 per cent in non-management positions.
The bill is slated to be tabled in the Assembly on Thursday.
The move by the Congress government is likely to trigger a debate.
“As per the provisions of the Bill, candidates seeking reservation in management and non-management categories shall be required to either possess a secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language; or pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the nodal agency,” a source said.