BENGALURU: The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) will conduct a survey of Kannadigas working in private firms, including IT-BT companies, from next week, and submit a report to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Karnataka has thousands of firms, including public sector undertakings, IT-BT and manufacturing, that employ lakhs of people. However, it is claimed that except for a few companies, most tend to hire mostly non-Kannidigas.
KDA chairman T S Nagabharana told TNIE that to encourage the private sector to invest in Karnataka, the state government has given them several concessions, including tax rebates and subsidies in land and power. “But the companies give jobs to just a small number of locals. Unfortunately, there is no data on how many Kannadigas are hired by the companies,” he said.
The survey is being undertaken to get a clear picture of how many locals are working in private firms, Nagabharana said, adding, “We will write to the heads of these companies, urging them to provide data of Kannadigas working in all categories. We will send teams too, if needed, to get the details. We will present the data to the CM for further action.” There is no law that supports or makes it mandatory to provide 100 per cent jobs to locals, and there are many legal hurdles on this.
A senior official from the labour department explained that when S Suresh Kumar was labour minister, the department had almost finalised the draft for the Karnataka Employment of Local Candidates in Factories, Shops, Commercial Establishments, Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises and Joint Ventures Bill. The bill stressed on 75 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in industries, MSMEs and private firms. But the initiative did not proceed any further.
Kannada organisations have been demanding the implementation of the Sarojini Mahishi report, which recommends that companies set aside a certain quota of jobs for locals. When Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah was the chief minister, an attempt was made to provide 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in all private industries, excluding the IT-BT sector, but it did not take off.