The state government of Gujarat on Monday (22 March) has informed the state assembly that it has asked Adani Power in Mundra taluka of Kutch district to abide by the labour norms of employing 85 per cent locals in the company’s workforce.

According to the March 1995 notification of the state’s labour and employment department, all private, state and central government entities operating in the state have to keep at least 85 per cent of the positions reserved for locals.

However, this notification does not apply to private firms that do not take subsidies from the government, reports The Indian Express.

Congress MLA Punja Vansh asked the government as to which companies of the Adani Group do not conform to the rule of employing 85 per cent of locals in their workforce. To this, the government replied, “As on 31 December, 2020, Adani Power in Mundra does not conform to the required percentage of locals in their workforce.”

In it’s written reply, the state government stated that the data regarding employment of the local workforce is collected from the firms every six months (June and December).

This gains significance as many state governments are competing to reserve jobs in the private sector for locals.

Recently, the Haryana government provided 75 per cent reservation in the private sector to job seekers who have a state domicile certificate. Also Jharkhand's Cabinet has approved a policy to reserve 75 per cent of private-sector jobs up to a salary of Rs 30,000 per month for local people.