'No need to panic, we will safeguard...': Priyank Kharge on Karnataka's 100% quota bill

Facing a backlash from industry leaders over its new bill mandating 100 per cent quota for Kannadigas in private firms, the Karnataka government on Wednesday said it will have a wider consultation with the industry before coming up with rules. "The bill has been brought in by the labour department. They are yet to consult with the industry, the Minister of Industry, and the Department of Information Technology," Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge said while speaking to news agency ANI.  

"I am sure that before coming up with the rules of the bill, they will have due consultations with the respective ministries and more importantly, a wider consultation with the industry. So there is no need to panic. We are going to safeguard the jobs for the state as well as encourage investments in the industries with their consultation," he said. 

Kharge's clarification came after top voices from the industry such as Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Mohandas Pai criticised the move, saying, "this bill should be junked."

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson and founder of Biocon, said as a tech hub the state needs skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals, "we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move". She said there must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy. 

This bill should be junked. It is discriminatory, regressive and against the constitution @Jairam_Ramesh is govt to certify who we are? This is a fascist bill as in Animal Farm, unbelievable that @INCIndia can come up with a bill like this- a govt officer will sit on recruitment… https://t.co/GiWq42ArEu

Infosys's former chief financial officer Mohandas Pai said the bill was discriminatory, regressive, and against the constitution. Tagging Congress communication in charge Jairam Ramesh, he asked: "Is govt to certify who we are? This is a fascist bill as in Animal Farm, unbelievable that @INCIndia
can come up with a bill like this - a govt officer will sit on recruitment committees of the private sector? People have to take a language test?"

The Karnataka cabinet has approved a bill mandating 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector for Group C and D posts. The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held on Monday. "The Cabinet meeting held yesterday (Monday) approved a bill to make recruitment of 100 per cent Kannadigas mandatory for 'C and D' grade posts in all private industries in the state," Siddaramaiah said in a post on X. 

The 'Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024' will be tabled on Thursday in the Assembly, sources told news agency PTI. On the appointment of 'Local Candidates'', the bill says, "Any industry, factory or other establishments shall appoint fifty per cent of local candidates in management categories and seventy per cent in non-management categories." 

If the candidates do not possess a secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language, they must pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the 'Nodal Agency', it says. 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 a 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 power 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. 

(With inputs from PTI)