TVK government must enact 75 percent reservation in private sector jobs: Anbumani Ramadoss

CHENNAI: PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the Tamil Nadu government to enact legislation providing 75 per cent reservation for the state's youth in private sector jobs, alleging that attempts are being made to dilute the proposal during consultations on Tamil Nadu's new industrial policy, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

In a statement, Anbumani said reports suggesting that industrial officials had opposed the proposal for job reservation in private industrial and commercial establishments, if true, amounted to a betrayal of the principles of social justice.

The PMK leader said his party had consistently urged the government to honour this commitment and accused certain officials and sections of the industry of attempting to derail the initiative even before it could be implemented.

TVK's election promise

He recalled that the ruling TVK, in its Assembly election manifesto, had promised incentives for private companies that employed Tamil Nadu youth for 75 per cent of their workforce. According to the manifesto, such companies would be eligible for a 2.5 per cent subsidy on GST and a 5 per cent subsidy on electricity charges.

Stating that the proposed reservation would create greater employment opportunities for local youth, Anbumani called on the government to move beyond policy announcements and bring in a legislation to ensure it is been implemented.

He said the State should not allow vested interests to weaken measures intended to protect the employment rights of Tamil Nadu's youth and urged the government to fulfil its poll promise at the earliest.