Industry to move court against local quota

Gurugram: Haryana government's decision to notify a law providing 75 per cent reservation to locals in private jobs is now facing opposition from the industries' lobby. Haryana government's law mandating 75 per cent job reservation for locals will come into effect from January 15, 2022. The law will provide 75 per cent reservation for local candidates in private sector for jobs offering a gross monthly salary of up to Rs 30,000.

To raise their concern over the bill, several industry associations, including those in Manesar, Gurugram, Sonipat, Panipat, Panchkula, Rohtak and Faridabad, had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier.

"The associations had gone to the high court against this law before, but the court had said that let it be a gazette notification, after which the court will hear the matter," Manoj Tyagi, General Secretary, IMT Industrial Association, said in a statement. The Industrial Association may again approach the court against this law. "In the eyes of industries and associations, this law is not correct, as it will not benefit the State," the statement said. The law mainly covers private companies, societies, trusts and partnership firms in the state. As per the law, all shops, showrooms and industries in the state, which employ more than 10 people, have to ensure that 75 per cent of their staff are locals. Pawan Yadav, President, IMT Manesar Industrial Association, said, "We believe that locals should be given employment. There are two ways to provide employment -- first, more big industries should be set up here, and second, skill development for locals should be done so that they can get employment automatically."

He added that large industries, which have the capacity to provide employment to 10,000 or more people, avoid setting up industries in states where such laws are applicable.

Satish Chand, ex-President, IMT Manesar Industrial Association, said that all types of technical skills are not available in Haryana. He also said that decisions like whom to employ, who is suitable for which job etc. should be left to the industrialists, and the government shouldn't interfere in these matters.

Yadav said that big industries should be set up in Haryana so that not just 75 per cent, but 100 per cent locals can get employment. "The government should have discussed the matter with the industrialists or industrial associations before passing the law. This law will compel the entrepreneurs to move to other states. There is no need for such reservation law in the private sector," said K.K. Gandi, President, Sector-37 Industrial Association, Gurugram.