Dharam joins in, wants jobs quota for Kannadigas in IT, BT sector

Dharam joins in, wants jobs quota for Kannadigas in IT, BT sector
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Chief Minister Dharam Singh has joined his Cabinet colleagues Deputy Chief Minister M P Prakash and Finance and Industries Minister P G R Sindhia on the issue of reserving jobs for Kannadigas in information and bio-technology technology companies in the State.

Dharam Singh told reporters after meeting a Chinese delegation on Friday that there was nothing wrong in demanding reservation for Kannadigas in IT and BT companies. “I agree that Kannadigas should be given preference where ever possible, he said and added that he would also discuss the issue with the IT honchos. The Chief Minister is slated to hold a meeting with IT captains, who have been complaining on the sorry state of infrastructure in the city.

In the last few days, JD(S) members Prakash and Sindhia had been taking a dig at the IT and BT companies, saying the firms were not providing jobs to Kannadigas on a priority basis. Sindhia was more vocal in his observations and had clamped a rider that Kannadigas should be given primacy in recruitment in IT sector in keeping with the Sarojini Mahishi Report before they government attended to their grievances. Sindhia has even served notices to several IT companies in the State to provide information on the number of Kannadigas employed by them.

At a meeting of IT captains with Chief Secretary B.K. Das on Thursday, IT representatives including chief of Global Soft, Som Mittal and chief finance officer of Infosys Mohandas Pai had said that reservation for Kannadigas was not possible as they were considering only merit as the criteria for recruitment. They, however, had said a number of people were getting indirect jobs in various other sectors due to the IT boon.