Two-pronged job strategy for Himachalis

Under the new strategy, the government will make it mandatory for the entrepreneurs in the state to include government nominees in committees making recruitments to the industrial units and also notify all vacancies before going in for such recruitments. The government nominees will be from the Labour Department as well as local employment exchanges.

Confirming the proposal a senior government official said: 8220;The move, purely an administrative one, will not involve any legal or constitutional implication.8221;

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has already approved the strategy and necessary notifications are expected anytime after the state government announces its new industrial policy.

The industrial policy, which the state Cabinet is slated to approve this week, proposes yet another significant measure. The entrepreneurs providing maximum number of jobs to Himachalis will get more incentives from the government.

The existing industrial policy directive states that at least 50 per cent of the jobs be reserved for locals under certain categories. Now there is a possibility that the limit may be raised to 70 per cent because the Union Government shot down the bill passed by Himachal Vidhan Sabha seeking to make it mandatory for private industries to notify their vacancies through employment exchanges. 8220;If an industrial unit offers 80 or 90 per cent of its jobs to the Himachalis, including at the executive level, it will automatically get entitled to receiving more incentives,8221; a Cabinet minister said.

Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, now leader of the Opposition, however, feels that the bill passed by the state Assembly seeking amendments in the Employment Exchanges8217; Compulsory Notification of vacancies Act, was the best way to ensure job guarantees for the Himachalis.

He said, 8220;It is wrong to say that our proposal was violative of constitutional provisions. Matter needs to be taken-up afresh with the Centre.8221;

Virbhadra Singh added that the amendments proposed by Himachal Pradesh were limited to the extent that whenever industrial units make recruitments, these must notify the vacancies and write to local employment exchange for sponsoring names of eligible persons. There was also no bar on outsiders getting their names registered in employment exchanges in the state. He adds: 8220;Where is the constitutional violation?8221;

In the official circles, the view remains that government should not press for the amendments in law, which definitely involve constitutional provisions. Even the Labour Ministry8217;s letter reads: 8220;Legislation would be against the right to carry on any occupation, trade or business. It will also send wrong signals to investors from abroad and other parts of the country.8221;

The government feels that under the new measures, entrepreneurs keen to avail of more incentives will definitely go in for maximum recruitments from Himachal. The presence of officials from the Labour Department and other government nominees in committees for recruitment of personnel will help keep watch on the state interests.

Under the new industrial policy the government is also considering a proposal to provide special incentives to entrepreneurs going in for construction of employees8217; residential quarters in the premises. The measure will help ensure more jobs to the Himachalis. Presently, majority of the industrial units have no residential facilities for their staff, which is a major factor for Himachalis not getting employment in units located close to Punjab, Haryana and UP borders.