K'taka govt decides to put on hold local reservation bill

Bengaluru, July 17 (IANS) Facing stiff opposition from the industry bodies and business tycoons on the bill reserving jobs for locals, the Karnataka government has decided to hold back from introducing the controversial bill in the Assembly on Thursday.

“The draft bill intended to provide reservations for Kannadigas in private sector companies, industries, and enterprises is still in the preparation stage,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.

He added that a comprehensive discussion will be held in the next Cabinet meeting to make a final decision.

Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had made a decision to introduce the bill in the state assembly. "The Cabinet meeting held on Monday has given consent for the act giving 100 per cent reservation for Kannada people for the posts in 'C' and 'D' category jobs in all private companies operating in the state. It is the objective of the government to prevent Kannada people from being denied job opportunities and to give them jobs to build lives peacefully in their motherland. Ours is pro-Kannadiga government. Our priority is to protect the interests of Kannada people," Siddaramaiah wrote on X.

Minister for IT Priyank Kharge and Minister for Large and Medium Industries MB Patil maintained that the bill was just a proposal by the Labour Department and the recommendations were given without consulting the other departments.

Minister Kharge said, "I have requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to implement it only after consultation with the industrial experts and other departments on the conditions of the Bill."

Nasscom, representing India’s $250 billion technology industry, on Wednesday said it is seriously concerned about the provisions of a Bill providing for reservation for Kannadigas in private companies in Karnataka.

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