Karnataka govt bats for 100 percent quota for Kannadigas in private sector

Bengaluru: The Congress-run Karnataka government wants 100 percent reservation for Kannadigas in all private sector jobs in the state, barring IT and biotechnology firms, a media report said on Thursday.

The government has sought public suggestions to the draft amendments to the Karnataka Industrial Employment Rules 1961, providing for 100 percent quota.

The reservation will not be applicable to the IT and biotechnology sectors, as they avail concessions under the state industrial policy.

The draft amendments also call for providing not less than five percent of employment to persons with disabilities to get government incentives.

"Every industrial establishment which has obtained concession of land, water, electricity or tax rebate or deferment of tax as per state industrial policy shall provide horizontal reservation of 100 percent in employment to local people (Kannadigas) in case of workmen classified in sub-clause (a),(b),(c),(d),(e),(f) and (g) and above," ANI quoted the notification on the draft rules as saying.

"Every industrial establishment shall provide not less than five per cent of employment to?persons with disabilities in case of workmen classified in sub clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) and above in order to get incentives from government," the notification added.

Official sources, however, said IT/ITeS/BT/start-ups/ knowledge-based industries are exempted from the applicability of Karnataka Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules for five years.

According to the notification, local people or Kannadiga means any person born in Karnataka or who has lived in the state for not less than 15 years and knows to read, write, speak and understand Kannada.

A person with disabilities means any person with disabilities as defined in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

The rules that may be called Karnataka Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) (Amendment) Rules, 2016 shall come into force from the date of their final publication in the official gazette.