The Karnataka Cabinet led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has cleared 100 per cent reservation provision for Kannadigas in Category C and D jobs in all industries in the state including the private sector. The Congress government will present a bill in the assembly seeking 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.

Karnataka CM Siddaramiah shared the details on his social media handle X but deleted it later following confusion. “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.

Karnataka Labor Minister Santosh S Lad clarified that at the management (level), it has been decided to provide reservations to 50% of the people. “At the non-management level, it has been decided to provide work to 70%…If such skills are not available, people can be outsourced and they can be given work here. But the Government is trying to bring in a law to give preference to locally available skills – if it is available here,” he said.

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