The Hindu Business Line : Maharashtra to hold talks with pvt sector on job quotas

THE Maharashtra Government will hold talks with industry organisations to thrash out problems that the latter would face when the new law requiring them to set aside quotas of 52 per cent comes into force.

The intent of the Government was to formulate new rules under a six-month old Act under which jobs have to be so earmarked. No dates have been set yet.

While the law has the underpinning of social justice and affirmative discrimination to bring the share of jobs in the private sector on par with those in the domain of the Government, the private sector world of business and industry appears to look at it as something that seriously militates against meritocracy and efficiency. However, official sources point out that everyone, including the industry — and most certainly, the Opposition Shiv Sena — "have woken up too late" though the law, approved in Nagpur in December at the Winter Session was gazetted on January 29 this year.

The law, Maharashtra State Public Services (Reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, De-notified tribes, Nomadic Tribes, Special Backward Category and Other Backward Classes) Act took its time to take shape, having passed through long deliberations by a Joint Select Committee of the Legislature and approved. But the final legislative imprimatur was given without a discussion amid a din by the Assembly in December 2003.As it stands now, the law requires entities which have gained from Government help or are "recognised, licensed, supervised or controlled by Government." It has dawned on the Government its impact can be mitigated to some extent only if the word "licenced" is removed from the Act. But that is easier said than done for the last working day of the legislature prior to the elections in a few months concluded today. If the private sector has its way, two things can happen: frame the rules in a manner that lets them off the hook and let the Government keep it on the statute or just delay the whole process till a new Government comes into being in October after the Assembly elections in September or later and decide what to do next.

More Stories on : Employment | Maharashtra

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page