Question : RESERVATION OF SC STS IN PSUS

(a) whether the reservation facilities in services provided to the candidates of SC/ST and OBC in different undertakings is going to be stopped due to indiscriminate disinvestment made in public sector undertakings;

(b) if so, the manner in which the Government is going to fulfil its declared commitment to provide reservation to SC/ST and OBC in these disinvested undertakings;

(c) whether various organisations including SC/ST Commission have drawn the attention of the Government towards their concern in this regard; and

(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereon?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DISINVESTMENT, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRIES OF PLANNING, STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES (SHRI ARUN SHORIE)

(a)&(b) The Government is committed to protect the interest of the workers as mentioned by the Finance Minister in his Budget Speech for the year 2000-2001. With this in view, in the cases of disinvestment involving transfer of management control appropriate provisions are made in the share-purchase agreement and the shareholders agreement with the strategic partner. Typically the agreements include a recital stating that the strategic partner recognizes that the Government in relation to its employment policies follows certain principles for the benefit of the members of the Scheduled/Caste/Scheduled Tribes, physically handicapped persons and other socially disadvantaged sections of the society and that the strategic partner shall use its best efforts to cause the Company to provide adequate job opportunities for such persons. Further, in the event of any reduction in the strength of the employees of the Company, the strategic partner shall use its best efforts to ensure that the physically handicapped persons are retrenched at the end.

(c)&(d) The information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House.