- Andhra Pradesh has passed the Andhra Pradesh(AP) Employment of Local Candidates in Industries/Factories Act,2019.This will make A.P the first state in the country to reserve jobs for locals.
- The law seeks to reserve 75% jobs for locals in all private industrial units and factories,irrespective of whether or not these companies get financial or other help from the government.
- The law states that if locals with the necessary skills are not available, then the companies would have to train them in association with the state government and then hire them.Experts have said that with this, companies will not be able to hide behind the excuse of not finding skilled labour.
- The act also says that only those units that are listed in the first schedule of the Factories Act will be exempted from the act after the government looks into each application and takes a call.These are mostly hazardous industries like petroleum, pharmaceuticals, coal, fertilisers and cement, among others.
- The act also says that companies will have to comply with these provisions within three years of the commencement of the act and will have to provide quarterly reports about local appointments to a nodal agency.
