Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday promised to bring out a legislation to implement the recommendations of the five-member expert panel that has revised the 30-year-old Dr. Sarojini Mahishi Committee report on providing jobs to Kannadigas after discussing the issue both in the Cabinet and with legal experts.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, who headed Kannada Kavalu Samithi earlier, underlined the need for reservation for locals and primacy for regional language in growing private sector at a time reservation, a Constitutional right, is losing its relevance in the government sector.
The 80-page-three part report has made 14 recommendations to the State government and seven to the Centre demanding 80 reservation for localities in non-officer cadre in government and private sector undertakings, including the IT and BT sector. It also stresses on formulation of a national employment policy to protect the interest of locals in the federal structure.
Attributing failure to implement Dr. Sarojini Mahishi Committee for not getting legal and constitutional sanctity, former chairpersons of Kannada Development Authority (KDA), Mukhyamantri Chandru, L. Hanumanthaiah and present chairperson S.G. Siddaramaiah demanded that a legislation be passed to protect the interest of Kannadigas.
Reacting to the media, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the need for revisiting the three-decade-old recommendations of Dr. Sarojini Mahishi arose as IT-BT and Startups were non-existent back when the panel submitted recommendations in the 80s.
Definition of Kannadiga
As per the report, local people (Kannadiga) means any person born in the state of Karnataka or who has lived in Karnataka for not less than 15 years and knows to read, write and speak Kannada. Candidate availing the facility is supposed to produce SSLC certificate as proof of having studied Kannada as one of the languages, Ration Card, Birth Certificate and Aadhar card.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS
1. 100% reservation for Kannadigas in blue collar jobs in State government, central government departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Non-Kannadigas could be appointed only in case of exigency with the permission of the State government.
2. Exams being conducted by Institute of Banking and Personnel Selection for Holding recruitment exams for jobs should be in all languages under Schedule 8 of the Constitution
3. Kannada should be included with other languages in the exams being conducted by National Council for Vocational Training and Staff Selection Commission Examination.
4. Studying Kannada as one subject should be made mandatory for all students who join ICSE, CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya and other English schools
5. Presence of a government representative in the appointment panel of all institutions with employee strength more than 100.
