In principle, favour reservation in private sector: Nitish Kumar

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today defended his government’s decision to introduce reservation in outsourced services and said those criticising it have “very little understanding” of the issue. He asserted that the provision, which some ruling alliance leaders have also found fault with, was brought in accordance with the Bihar Reservation Act 2003. As per the act, Kumar said, if the government hires somebody for its work even if through an outsourcing company, and pays salary from its coffers, then the quota system prevailing in the state will apply.

“If we (the government) award a contract to somebody for undertaking a work, then the contractor will not be bound by quota policy since he will be hiring and he will be paying,” he said. “But, in case of outsourced services availed of by the government, the rules will be obviously different.” “People who are raising a hue and cry over the issue have very little understanding,” he said. Speaking on the sidelines of his weekly ‘Lok Samvad’ (public interaction) programme at his 1 Anne Marg residence, he also dismissed charges that the proposal, cleared by the cabinet last week, was an attempt to introduce reservation in private sector through back door. He, …read more