UP goes for voluntary reservation in private sector

Lucknow, Aug 10 (UNI) In an unique formula to implement reservation in the private sector, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has introduced voluntary reservation in the private sector.

Under the proposed formula, private sector unit which introduces reservation will be able to avail government benefits to set up their units.

With this, UP has become the first state in the country to implement reservation in the private sector through voluntary agreement in return of government facilities.

Now private investors in any sector will have to implement 30 per cent reservation in order to avail the government benefits including tax relief or other rebates.

Of the total quota of reservation, ten per cent would be reserved for scheduled caste, ten per cent for Other Backward Caste and Backward Religious minorities and rest ten per cent to economically weaker section of the upper castes.

The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting here yesterday.

Briefing mediapersons, principal secretary to the Chief Minister Shailesh Krishna said this voluntary reservation scheme would be applicable in industrial units set up with the assistance of the government, educational institutions infrastructure faiclities, service sector projects and disinvested units.

Under the new proposal, the investors, who want to avail government rebate would have to go for an agreement to implement the 30 per cent reservation in their establishment.

''It is not a law but an understanding between the government and the investors and it is total volunatary,'' Mr Krishna said.

He said the investor who is not interested in implementing the reservation would not be given any government rebate. ''But at the same time, they are free not to introduce reservation,'' he added.

In the new proposal, it has been clarified that those industrial units and projects in which state government or any of its departments or agency have provided land, grant, property or any other assistance or facility, would have to go in for the agreement on voluntary reservation.

The concerned department, along with the labour department will monitor the implementation at the ground level.

Earlier Ms Mayawati, after withdrawing the unemployment allowance scheme of the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government, had said her government would create employment opportunities on a large scale, instead of providing alms to the youths.

UNI