Bengaluru, DHNS: The government has effected amendments to the Karnataka Industrial Employment rules to ensure 70% reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector, said Labour Minister Santhosh Lad.

The minister, however, said the rules will not apply to the IT-BT sector. Lad told reporters in Bengaluru on Monday that the draft rules would be placed before the Cabinet in a couple of months for approval.

He said industrial establishments are provided land, water, electricity at concessional rates apart from tax rebates or deferment. “Since these concessions are given, private employers will be required to provide at least 50% reservation to locals/Kannadigas in Group ‘C’ and Group ‘D ‘categories and at least 20% reservation in Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ categories. In all, 70% of jobs should be reserved for Kannadigas,” he said. If industries fail to fall in line, the government would withdraw concessions granted to them. Lad, however, added that the IT-BT vertical too might be brought under these proposed rules eventually.

He said that there are around 16,000 types of industries in the state, and the aim was to ensure that Kannadigas are employed in all these industries. As there are no statistics available on the number of locals employed in private establishments, the department would soon carry out the exercise, he added.

The department has amended the Karnataka Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules, 1961 and has proposed the The Karnataka Industrial Employment (Amendment) Rules, 2016.