BHUBANESWAR: Opposition BJP and Congress on Tuesday expressed concern in the Assembly over lack of engagement of local workforce by industrial units in the state.
Raising the issue in the question hour, Opposition members alleged that industrial units in the state are recruiting more outsiders by neglecting local people.
Suresh Kumar Routray of Congress said while workers from Odisha migrate to other states in search of work, about 80 to 90 per cent of the employees in companies in the state are from outside.
He wanted to know whether the government will take up the issue with companies operating in Odisha and ask them to recruit more locals.
BJP member Mohan Majhi said the government had announced before the elections that 75 per cent of the workforce in industries in Odisha will be local.
However, only outsiders are getting hired. Replying to the question, Labour Minister Sushant Singh said out of 2,66,854 workers employed in 550 industrial units in Odisha, only 30,893 are from outside the state.
In Khurda district alone, 8,040 people are engaged in different industries of which 7,509 are from Odisha while 531 are from outside the state, he said.
The Minister said the state government also has provisions for recruitment of locals in 30 per cent of management posts, 60 per cent skilled labourers and 90 per cent unskilled labourers.
He assured the members that the government will take stern action against companies flouting the norms by engaging more people from outside the State.