In spite of provision of reservation for locals in the private industries, specified during signing of MoU between the concerned firm and the Government in Odisha, they are blatantly flouting the agreement.
The district administration and RDC of the respective zones are not serious about the issue either. It is told by the State Government that about 90 per cent of the jobs under unskilled and semi-skilled category, 60 per cent under skilled category and 30 per cent under supervisory and managerial grade must be reserved for the locals. By local, it is meant people displaced and affected by the project and domiciles of Odisha. But whether the locals are employed or ignored is not properly monitored by the local Collector and RDC. As such, largely the displaced and affected people of the areas are being deprived of jobs while outsiders are being employed there.
The locals also include the marginalized sections of the locality but their representation has been always sidelined in almost all mining and industrial areas of the State. As a result of which there has been huge migration of marginalized sections to outside while the locally available employment by private sector is out of reach by these groups. In spite of progress in the area, there has been no change in the life and standard of living of the poor and marginalized there. Even they are deprived of getting basic amenities such as drinking water, electricity and housing facilities for a dignified life.
Equality of opportunity in matter of public employment for all citizens, enshrined in Article 16 of Constitution of India, must be ensured by the Government through legislation. However, after 67 years of constitutional governance, the private sector is still to ensure this equality in job to all sections of society.
The job opportunities in private sector has been increasing while the same has been decreasing in public sector followed by policy of disinvestment by the Government as revealed in Economic Survey Report of 2016-17. This continued discrimination in job market by private sector against the marginalized communities has been a matter of concern in the context of sharing of benefits of employment by different social groups, especially the excluded groups.
Political leaders cutting across party line such as BJP MP Udit Raj, Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar of JDU, Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan of lJP, Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramiha of Congress besides from CPI, CPI (M), BSP etc have been demanding reservation in jobs of private sector for the marginalized groups such as SCs, STs, OBCs and others for an inclusive social environment with fair representation of people of different social groups.
The demand for reservation based on castes and communities other than SCs and STs was much debated during the VP Singh Government of 1990 and then the issue of actual representation of backward classes came to light. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru through introduction of five year plans had pursued mixed economy with more thrust on public sector. The public sector in India has been most successful since its inception. The major steel, power, aluminum, coal and transport industries of the country are owned by public sector. The all Navaratna companies such as Nalco, SAIl, MCl, ONGC etc. in India are most profitable and not being affected in any way by their affirmative action policy of employment.
Dr Ambedkar was arguing for State ownership of all major industries and utilization of national resources for the profit of the people of the country.
Way back in 2004, UPA-II in its common minimum programme had identified reservation in private sector as one of the measures of social justice agenda towards building inclusive development, employment being vital to economic growth. There has been demand for affirmative action in private sector employment but this has been opposed by the Indian corporate bodies such as ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and CII without a valid reason. While public sector companies are running with profit with inclusive of affirmative action in employment why not the same policy has to be followed by the private corporateIJ
The fact is that the private sector is the biggest beneficiary of State protection and the sector has been enjoying all kinds of benefits out of State fund. They are not really fully private in many respect, rather the Government has been ensuring all kinds of legislative and administrative support and protection to private sector in many ways that includes, land, water, finance capital, minerals, and above all protection by using its mighty police and military forces. The land and livelihood sources of farmers, tribals, Dalits, fisher folks and other displaced families are being acquired for private companies in the name of employment generation. It is promised by the Government to the displaced families and locals that industry will generate employment.
Banks and financial institutions are specially set up to lend low rate interest loan to private companies and land acquisition law is used to evict the people in the name of national interest and development but while it comes to sharing of benefits with the poor and marginalized sections, they are left out without any share in employment.
NSSO data for 2012 says the private sector workplaces are dominated by few upper castes. Consequently, the private sector is very disproportionally represented. So also, the corporate boards are also largely dominated by a handful of few upper caste population of the country. The marginalized section is very insignificantly represented in jobs of private sectors though largely they have been the victims of the ongoing lopsided development that promote privatization and liberalization.
There are hundreds of private mining projects of iron ore, coal, chromite, bauxite, manganese and graphite etc. and private mineral based industries, steel and power and other non-mineral based industries such as SEZ, ports, coastal fishing and many more private ventures, who are using land, water and minerals in Odisha.
Along with the Central and the State Government owned companies, there are private companies earning profit out of the State resources. It is a fact that many of these companies are owned by mostly the few upper castes families in Odisha along with non-Odia companies. The upper classes have monopolized access to quality education and skill to become competent for the private sector jobs, whereas the large majority of marginalized people are deprived of getting access to quality education and skill training. The gap among rich and poor is continuing unabated in the absence of State intervention to bring socio-economic change.
The marginalized sections are also under represented in higher education, technical and skill education institutions in the Odisha.
There has been no major change in the rural and tribal areas and especially in the quality of life of the marginalized sections.
Employment is vital to bring socio-economic change in the life of the poor and marginalized and the State must make laws to ensure fair distribution of the available employment opportunities in private sector.
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