Shivakumar urges companies to prioritise Kannadigas in recruitment
The Chief Minister promised government protection against interference while asking private firms to hire local talent.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has requested private companies to give preference to local candidates during recruitment drives. Speaking at a CSR-related event in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Shivakumar said the state government would act as a facilitator for firms looking to hire skilled youth.
According to reports by the Deccan Herald and Deccan Chronicle, the Chief Minister assured companies of government support and protection from interference. He stated that the government would prevent any misuse of offices and promised that no moral policing would occur.
Shivakumar clarified that the state would not interfere with specific skill criteria but emphasised that companies should utilise the local talent pool. He noted that it is the responsibility of firms to ensure local candidates are given importance.
The remarks follow a campaign by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) to collect employment data from IT and other major firms. KRV President T A Narayana Gowda said on Tuesday that the data collection would continue through November 30.
Gowda claimed that Kannadigas currently make up only 20-23 per cent of the workforce at IT companies in Bengaluru. He noted that while other cities see higher local employment in certain firms, the percentage in Bengaluru remains low.
A delegation from the KRV plans to meet the Chief Minister to seek time-bound action regarding the implementation of job reservations.