CII red-flags Haryana govt on 75% quota to locals in private firm jobs

CHANDIGARH: Much before Haryana assembly in November 2020 passed the Bill that now binds industry to reserve 75% jobs for locals, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) had cautioned the Manohar Lal Khattarled BJP-JJP coalition government about adverse impact of this decision on existing businesses and investments.

Coinciding with CII’S strong reservations about this move of the state government, some local industry associations of Haryana had petitioned the Punjab and Haryana high court to apply brakes on this contentious bill. The court had, however, declined the plea on the grounds that bill was yet to become an Act, CII functionaries familiar with this matter said.

On Wednesday and the day after chief minister Khattar announced that Haryana governor Satyadeo Narain Arya had given assent to the bill, the CII, which is apex industry organisation, made it clear that it was miffed with this populist decision and reminded Haryana about “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “At a time when it is important to attract investments at state level, the Haryana government could have avoided imposing restrictions on Industry. Reservation affects productivity and Industry competitiveness,” Chandrajit Banerjee,

director general, CII, said in a statement. “We hope Haryana government relooks at the legislation. With Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ we look forward to an integrated and mobile labour market within the country.” Under the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, the private sector will have to employ 75% of the local candidates with respect to such posts where the gross monthly salary or wages are not more than ₹50,000.

This Act applies to all companies, societies, trusts, limited liability partnership firms, and any person employing ten or more