Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara has told industries receiving land, electricity, water and other facilities from the state government to honour their responsibility to provide suitable jobs to qualified Kannadigas.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said employment for local people was not a new issue and that the policy had been in place for some time. He said the government’s position was that industries should offer opportunities to Kannadigas who possess the required educational qualifications and skills, in roles corresponding to their eligibility.
“Industries must fulfil their commitment to provide employment to eligible Kannadigas in line with the facilities provided by the government,” Parameshwara said, according to Prajavani. His remarks link access to industrial land and basic infrastructure with expectations around employment outcomes for local residents.
The Deputy Chief Minister clarified that the government was not asking companies to appoint people who lacked the qualifications for a job. Instead, he said, the expectation was that candidates with the necessary education and skills should receive opportunities according to their eligibility.
Parameshwara also criticised a pattern in which local workers were being appointed mainly to positions such as attendants and other lower-level roles. He said this approach was not correct, indicating that the government wants qualified Kannadigas to be considered for a wider range of jobs rather than being confined to entry-level or support positions.
The statement places local employment within the broader relationship between industries and the state. Industrial projects depend on public support that can include land and essential services such as electricity and water. The government’s position, as stated by Parameshwara, is that this support carries a corresponding responsibility for companies to create employment opportunities for eligible local residents.
The remarks also suggest that the immediate issue is implementation of an existing policy rather than the announcement of a new reservation framework. Parameshwara said the policy of providing jobs to local people had existed from the beginning, while also noting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had reiterated the government’s commitment on the matter.
The report does not specify a fresh percentage target, a list of industries covered, a compliance deadline or penalties for companies that fail to meet the expectation. It also does not identify any new monitoring body or enforcement process. The next stage will therefore depend on how the government translates the reiterated position into specific instructions for industries and how compliance is assessed.
