Karnataka Cabinet Greenlights Crucial Bills, Including Full Job Reservation for Kannadigas in C&D Categories

The Karnataka government held a cabinet meeting in which it was decided to present seven bills including 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in Category C and D jobs in all industries in the state.

The bill seeks to reserve 50 per cent of management jobs and 75 per cent of non-management jobs for locals in the private sector. The Karnataka government is also contemplating 100 per cent reservation for locals in “C&D” grade government jobs. The bill is called the State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024.

In his post on X, Karnataka CM Siddaramiah said that the state government’s priority was to look after the welfare of Kannadigas.
“The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill to make it mandatory to hire 100 per cent Kannadigas for “C and D” grade posts in all private industries in the state. It is our government’s wish that the Kannadigas should avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada and should be allowed to build a comfortable life in the motherland. We are a pro-Kannada government. Our priority is to look after the welfare of Kannadigas,” he posted on X.

The Bill drafted by the Labour Department claimed that jobs of industries operating in the state are going to the states of North India. The Bill states that industries that get infrastructure including land and water from the state should give reservations for jobs to the locals, and this has been approved in the cabinet meeting.

Earlier, the Sarojini Mahishi Committee report stated that in large, medium and small-scale industrial units with more than 50 workers, 65 per cent and 80 per cent of the jobs in A and B categories respectively would be reserved for Kannadigas, and 100 per cent in C and D categories would be reserved for Kannadigas.

However, no policies were formulated regarding guaranteeing reservations for Kannadigas in jobs. Moreover, in the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act presented by the Department of Kannada and Culture in 2022, it was said that reservations should be given to industries that have received tax exemptions and other facilities from the state government. However, no policy rules have been formulated for this.

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In the Cabinet meeting held on Monday, the bill to provide 100 per cent job reservation for Kannadigas in C and D grade jobs was approved. Officials from the Labor Department said that the Bill will be presented and passed in the same session.

In addition to this, seven bills including the Karnataka Goods and Services (Amendment) Bill, and the Karnataka Irrigation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 have been approved, sources said.