‘Bill on job quota in private sector soon’

A bill to ensure job reservation for SC/STs and OBCs in the private sector would be introduced in Parliament ‘‘in the near future&...

A bill to ensure job reservation for SC/STs and OBCs in the private sector would be introduced in Parliament ‘‘in the near future’’, according to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. The UPA Government is committed to providing reservation in the private sector and ‘‘nobody can stop it’’, Paswan declared, addressing a conference here on preferential participation organised by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), a constituent of the UPA coalition at the Centre.

‘‘We will the see the dawn of a new era. And I can assure you that this Government is committed to reservation in the corporate sector,’’ he added. Referring to the concerns raised by the opponents of reservation in the private sector, he said: ‘‘You can change your government and religion, but cannot change the caste of a person.’’

As for apprehensions voiced by the corporate sector on merit taking the back seat in the Government’s reservation policy, Paswan asked what is the merit of the proprietors of the private companies apart from their being ‘‘sons and daughters of the owners’’. If those from the SC\ST and OBC category are also provided opportunities, they would ‘‘become more meritorious than the others’’, he said. The private sector should realise its social responsibility and ‘‘reciprocate’’ for what it had taken from the society in terms of capital and work force.

Story continues below this ad

After he took over as the Fertilisers Minister, Paswan said, he had reserved 5,000 dealerships for SC/STs and 27 per cent for OBCs. He also called for job reservation for minorities at the national level.

PMK leader S. Ramadoss said reservation was a ‘‘birth right’’ and should not be seen as ‘‘charity’’. Apart from providing job reservation in the private sector, the Government should ensure ‘‘preferential participation’’ of the SC/ST and OBC community in all sectors. India should take a cue from the Malaysian model where the native people are provided 30 per cent reservation in all sectors, Ramadoss added.