BENGALURU: After issuing a formal advisory to private sector companies to consider Kannadigas on priority for blue-collar jobs (groups C and D), the government is now pushing for a law to reserve 50-75% jobs for local residents in the upcoming assembly session. The proposed law will be applicable to all private companies, including IT-BT firms.

“A draft bill is being prepared and it will be enacted to ensure reservation in jobs for local/domicile youth. The quota would be applicable to those who have good knowledge of

and who have been living in the state for at least 15 years,” said labour minister S Suresh Kumar. The bill, he said, will be introduced in the legislature session scheduled from January 20.

Recently, labour officials said a notification was issued amending some rules to define the term Kannadiga and directed private companies to give 100% priority to Kannadigas. But it does not compel them to follow suit. The proposed law will ensure companies fall in line and report all their workers, including contractual labourers, to the government. Karnataka is not the first state to consider such an Act. In July,

became the first state to pass legislation on 75% quota for locals in private and industrial jobs. The Congress government in

had said in July that it was mulling a law on 70% reservation in jobs for local youth in private and government sectors.

and Goa too are planning a policy to reserve 80% jobs in private industries for locals.

Officials said companies who fail to implement reservation may not qualify for benefits from the government, including land, subsidies and incentives. But the only aspect officials are worried about is extending reservation to Kannadigas in the IT-BT sector. “We are working on a comprehensive plan to bring them under the new law with an option that companies may be given time to train local talent,” an official said.

The major contention is the proportion of reservation. “Officials are working on it and it will be finally decided in consultation with the law department,” Suresh said.

When the Siddaramaiahled Congress government planned to reserve 100% jobs for Kannadigas for group C & D employees in 2016, the law department shot down the proposal saying it violated constitutional provisions under Articles 14 and 16. “We want to ensure it does not get entangled in legal quagmire and want to come out with a proper bill. Ideally, 50% would do no harm,” said an official.

Some from industries feel reservation above 50% could hamper fresh investments, leading to loss of jobs and reduced economic growth. Considering that nearly 50% of Karnataka’s workforce comprises migrants, lack of skills among locals will further affect profitability, they say.