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Sun, Jul 15 Private sector agrees to give jobs to SC/ST, but against legislation By ANI Saturday July 14, 07:18 PM New Delhi, July 14 (ANI): In a meeting with Principal Secretary to Prime Minister T K A Nair, representatives of Indian industries told Centre that they were against any legislation for job reservations for Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes (SC/ST) candidates in private sector, but added that they would keep the government informed about their increased commitment to the affirmative actions. Besides Secretaries of the concerned Ministries of the government, presidents of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and other senior representatives of industry attended the second meeting of the Co-ordination Committee on Affirmative Action, where they agreed to include reporting of data on the new employment for SC/ST persons created during the year in the Code of Conduct being prescribed for their members. After the last meeting on this issue in November 2006, a Code of Conduct on Affirmative Action was finalised that has been circulated amongst the members for adopting it. FICCI agreed to soon evolve a similar plan of action for its constituents, since CII and ASSOCHAM has already put the mechanism in place. There was also an agreement that an Ombudsman with regional benches would be set up by each apex chamber to monitor the compliance of the voluntary Code of Conduct by its members. Coming out of the meeting, CII president, Sunil Bharati Mittal said, "The government did not press for reservation either." Among the fresh promises made by the industries include enhancing employability of SC/ST candidates by intensify efforts in developing skills, adoption of 300 Industrial Training lnstitutes during the current year and develop them as centers of excellence, enhance financial incentives needed to encourage SC/ST candidates to join it is, and give enhance attention on developing skill, particularly in those districts where there is heavy concentration of SC/ST population. FICCI announced the setting up of four entrepreneurial development centers where it would annually train 2400 SC/ST persons. On the employment front other things being equal, SC/ST candidates would be given preference in employment. The committee would meet again after two months to review work on fresh promises. (ANI)
