Gujarat: Locals form 92 per cent of private sector workforce

If the workforce data in the private sector is broken down further, then Gujaratis form 94 per cent of the manpower employed in the “workers grade” while the percentage of locals in the “supervisory grade” is 88 per cent. This sizeable presence of local workforce is more than the 85 per cent reservation promised to the local population through a government resolution passed way back in March 1995.

As per this resolution of 1995 — which define locals as those who have been living in the state for the past 15 years — all private, state and central government entities operating in the state have to keep at least 85 per cent positions (in the workers grade) reserved for locals, while the percentage could be 50 per cent for locals in managerial and supervisorial roles. The state government currently seeks information about the local workforce from all the industrial units every six months, official sources said.

Meanwhile, if the jobs provided by state-owned public sector companies and boards are considered, then this percentage of local workforce is even better. For instance in 68,114 jobs provided by 95 units under the state government, locals constitute 98.9 per cent of the total workforce.

However, the percentage of locals is comparatively lesser if central government institutions and entities operating in Gujarat are taken in to account. For instance, as on June 2016 the percentage of local workforce in central PSUs and boards stood at 68 per cent. Local manpower in supervisory grade was just 45 per cent, while that in the worker’s grade stood at 91 per cent.

These numbers from the state government comes at a time when there have been agitations across Gujarat, including those by led by local leaders like Alpesh Thakor who have demanded at least 85 per cent reservation for local youths in industrial units in the state. Thakor who in February this year tried to take out a march Tata Motors Nano plant at Sanand and lock it down, could not be reached for a comment.

However, one of his associates when contacted said the agitation to reserve jobs for local youths was still on and they were unaware of the government figures.