The Hindu Business Line : GoM recommends fiscal incentives

The Group of Ministers (GoM) working on the proposed reservation of jobs in the private sector has reportedly recommended fiscal incentives for industry sectors, which will set aside jobs for members of the Scheduled Castes and tribes and other backward communities. The recommendations — made in consultation with national chambers of industry and commerce, other industrial bodies and big corporate houses — have been submitted to the Cabinet.

Talking to newspersons here, an official from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (who did not want to be quoted) said that the GoM suggested reservation policy across the board in the private sector.

Earlier, addressing the 104th annual general meeting of the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce (MCC), the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ms Meira Kumar, said that contrary to popular belief leading corporate houses had supported the move taken by the UPA Government for reservation in the private sector.

"I have received communications from 21 industry leaders including Mr Ratan Tata of Tata Group, Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla, Ms Anu Aga of Thermax Group and others supporting a reservations policy in the private sector," Ms Kumar said.

According to her, the Scheduled Castes comprise 16.23 per cent of the country's population and the Scheduled Tribes 8.16 per cent. Compared with the general castes, both SC and ST have a relatively higher representation among the population living below the poverty line.

As against 27 per cent of the general population living below poverty line, the Scheduled Castes population living below the poverty line in rural areas was 36.25 per cent and 38.47 per cent in urban areas. The corresponding figures for Scheduled Tribes were 45.86 and 34.75, respectively.

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