Hyderabad: Private sector industries, factories and other units in Andhra Pradesh will henceforth have to provide 75 per cent job reservation to locals. The state legislative assembly has passed a new act to this effect. Under the AP Employment of Local Candidates in Industries/Factories Act 2019, the same rule will also apply to joint ventures and public private partnership mode entities.
This was one of the major promises the YSR Congress party led by Jaganmohan Reddy had made in the elections.
According to the Act, if local people lack the skills required for a job, the companies, in association with the government, will have to train them. However, hazardous industries including petroleum, pharmaceutical, coal, fertilisers and cement will be exempt from the rule. The private units will have three years from the date of the act coming into effect to implement the quota rule. The government through a nodal agency will closely monitor the implementation of the quota policy.
Andhra Pradesh is the first state in the country to provide such a reservation in the private sector. While many other state governments were also facing similar demands from the people, only a few of them including Madhya Pradesh and Delhi were actively considering the proposals.
A large share of employment in the private sector industries and factories going to people from other states was creating a lot of issues among locals.
The legislation has evoked mixed reaction. Andhra Pradesh Chapter of Confederation of Indian Industries said that the rule will work only if the skill development centres of the government rise to the challenge and train the local youth to meet the market requirement.