Karnataka’s Local Employment Bill Approved by State Cabinet

Karnataka’s Local Employment Bill Approved by State Cabinet

Context:

Recently, the Karnataka Cabinet has approved a new bill mandating local employment quotas in various sectors.

Relevance:

GS-2 (Governance)

Details:

• The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, requires industries, factories, and other establishments to hire local candidates for a significant portion of their workforce.

Key Provisions:

• Local Employment Quotas:
  • 50% of management positions must be filled by local candidates.
  • 75% of non-management positions must be filled by local candidates.
• Definition of Local Candidates:
  • Born in Karnataka.
  • Domiciled in the state for 15 years.
  • Capable of speaking, reading, and writing Kannada legibly.
  • Must have a secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language or pass a Kannada proficiency test conducted by a nodal agency.
• Training and Relaxation Provisions:
  • If qualified local candidates are unavailable, industries must collaborate with the government to train local candidates within three years.
  • Industries can apply for relaxation if local candidates are not sufficient, but the percentage should not fall below 25% in management and 50% in non-management positions.
• Penalties for Non-Compliance:
  • Penalties ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000 for non-compliance.

Background and Demand:

• The bill addresses growing demands for job reservations for Kannadigas. Earlier in July, Kannada organizations held rallies demanding the immediate implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report.
• This report, submitted in 1984 by the Sarojini Mahishi Committee, recommended quotas for locals in government and private sector jobs, including 100% reservation for locals in group C and D jobs in Central government departments and public sector undertakings (PSUs) operating in Karnataka.