Law to reserve 80% pvt jobs for locals not possible: CM

PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday categorically said in the state legislative assembly that the government cannot bring a law to reserve 80 per cent jobs in the private sector for Goans, as it would result in violation of the Constitution of India.

Replying to an issue raised by various members who demanded legislation for reserving 80 per cent jobs in private sector to locals on the lines of Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister said that he agreed that locals should get jobs in the industries. “However, the state government cannot come out with such legislation as per the Constitution,” he said.

Sawant, however, said that he will sit with the Minister for Industries, Skill Development and Labour and Employment and try to resolve in the next six months the issue of jobs to Goans in the private sector.

He also informed the House that though 1.25 lakh people have registered themselves with the employment exchange, around 70 per cent of these people are working in the private sector. The Chief Minister also said that he has asked for detailed data on employment in the casino industry.

Earlier, majority of the legislators including those from the ruling bench demanded that the government take steps to mandatorily reserve 80 per cent of jobs in the private sector, including casinos, for Goans.

“Our youth are keen to work in casinos but they are not given the opportunity. There are not even 10 per cent of Goans employed in the casino industry; ninety per cent are outsiders. I agree that they are Indians but where should our youth go?” questioned Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, speaking during the discussion on demand for labour and employment. He claimed that youth from Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh have been brought in by the casino industry thereby depriving the locals of these jobs.

Panaji MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate claimed that casinos have employed huge manpower with their own recruitment policies wherein advertisements for recruitment are published nationally and internationally. “Offshore casinos in River Mandovi are claiming that more than 70 per cent of their workforce is from Goa. I challenge them and this government and basically say that there are not even seven per cent of Goans working in these casinos,” said Monserrate.

Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco demanded that the government inquire as to how non-Goans were getting their last name changed in order to procure a government job in the state.

St Andre MLA Francisco Silveira and Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte urged the government to ensure that 80 per cent of the jobs in hotels, factories and industries are reserved for the local youth. “We ought to pinch the private sector to get our demand for reservation of jobs fulfilled, as they set up their businesses at our cost by availing the schemes of the state government. If they can use our land and water then why can’t they provide jobs to locals,” questioned Sopte.

Marcaim MLA Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar urged the government not to send back the large number of labourers who arrived in the state on July 22 reportedly from North India. “There is a shortage of labourers in the state. Our locals are not willing to do the job of cleaning washrooms. We need them, the government should ensure that these labourers undergo medical tests and are provided accommodation,” he said.

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat urged the government to conduct a comprehensive study to find out the percentage of Goans employed in the private sector in the state. “Forget about 80 per cent, find out if private companies are employing at least 20 per cent Goans in their establishments. Goans, who are highly qualified in the technical field, are migrating to other states including Bengaluru in search of employment opportunities,” he said adding that they should be absorbed in industries located within the state.

Kamat, along with Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, demanded that the government come out with a mechanism to ensure that the pending cases of sanad conversions, mundkars and tenancy are disposed of at the earliest.