TLI Staff
New Delhi: Job opportunities for SCs and STs are set to further shrink with government going whole hog to privatize more public sector units (PSUs) such as BPCL, Air India and Shipping Corporation of India (SCI).
Given that almost all lower-level positions in the government departments are being filled with outsourced staff, this is a double blow for the weaker section of the society.
The two developments are fast making the reservation policy of the government redundant.
In many cases, the government is moving to gradually give away public assets to private companies as in case of Airports Authority of India (AAI) which means fewer hiring in future.
The Modi government has already privatized six airports and has listed out another half a dozen for bidding.
“Once government companies are privatized, the reservation policy will not apply,” member (HR) of a PSU said.
For instance, AAI had a total staff strength of 17,535 as on March, 2018 out of which 3,828 or 21.83 per cent were from SC community. The number of ST employees were 1,301 or 7.42 per cent. In this year, the number of other backward class (OBCs) was 3,721 or 21.22 per cent.
Considering that all AAI-run airports are bid out to private players, the opportunity loss for SC, ST and OBCs would be to the extent of 8,850. With six airports already privatized and another six being readied, its impact on job prospects for the reserved class could be accordingly assessed.
Among other major PSUs on the block is BPCL which had a total staff strength of 12,157 as on January, 2018. Out of this, 4,670 were from SC, ST and OBC class.
Emboldened by its massive victory in last General Elections, the Centre has decided to sell its entire 53.3 per cent stake in oil major BPCL.
“This is really a matter of concern. The government must not make Constitutional provisions of reservation irrelevant,” said an officer belonging to SC community.
The government is racing against time to sell many PSUs as it chases its disinvestment target for the current financial year. As against a target of Rs 1,05,000 crore in the FY20, the government has so far managed to raise Rs 12,357 crore and hence lined up many PSUs for strategic sale in coming months.
While sale of the PSUs would bring in the much needed resource and help make up for the lower tax collection, it has massive social cost in terms of less job opportunity for the backward community.
A senior government official said that earlier most of the group C and group D employees came from SC/ST and OBC class but now since lower level staff are hired through contractors their number has decreased.
“Govt of India regulations on reservations of SC/ST/OBC and other categories should continue to remain as it is,” sale-bound Air India’s largest union Air Corporations Employees’ Union (ACEU) told Air India management this week.
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