Speak up for locals in Karnataka: Infosys, Foxconn criticized by BJP for not hiring those providing land; govt promises action

Multinational companies such as Infosys and Foxconn have been criticized in Karnataka for not providing employment opportunities to locals, especially farmers who gave up their land to start these companies.

During a debate in the Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad slammed IT major Infosys for not creating a single job opportunity in his constituency Hubbali-Dharwad West and demanded that the land be taken back.

“In my constituency, there is an industrial area and Infosys has taken the land. They have taken 58 acres of land but are not providing any jobs. They have just planted trees and built gardens. Take the land back from them. They talk about ethics but they don’t create jobs,” Berard said.

Bellard argued that the government provided land to Infosys at Rs 35 lakh per acre, while the market price was Rs 15 lakh. He said he had asked farmers to give up their land and said big companies like Infosys would create hundreds of jobs.

The campus developed by Infosys in 2018 has a built-up area of ​​364,000 sq ft and can accommodate 1,400 employees. However, the company did not announce hiring for several positions at the center until August 2022.

Dheeraj Muniraju, a BJP MP from Dodabhalapur constituency on the outskirts of Bengaluru, also joined the chorus, slamming Apple iPhone maker Foxconn and Jubliant Food Works for not providing jobs to locals and farmers who have lost their land due to the project Chance.

“You gave the land to Foxconn and they did not provide jobs to the farmers who lost their land. Even Jubilant FoodWorks… they did not hire a single local. Foxconn has started hiring and they are sending new employees to Chennai for training. ” complained the MLA.

Will consider withdrawing incentives or land: MB PATIL

Industry and Commerce Minister MB Patil assured the House that the government will take action against companies that do not provide employment opportunities to locals who have lost their land, especially after receiving incentives. “They would get land at subsidized rates and that was an incentive. I don’t want to say who specifically, but whether it was Infosys or someone else, if they had incentives, they were not giving jobs to the landowners as per their academic qualifications. Opportunities, we may look at removing incentives or taking back land. We will discuss what exactly can be done under the law,” he said.

The minister also clarified that 300 acres of land was provided to Foxconn at a subsidized rate. The leading iPhone maker plans to create 50,000 jobs and produce 20 million iPhones. He said the government would ensure employment opportunities for farmers who lost their land.

Earlier in the day, the government moved quickly to provide legal backing for its “60% Kannada on signboards” directive. The government has proposed an amendment to make it mandatory to use at least 60% Kannada language in all commercial outlets, trusts, entertainment venues and even signboards on roads/layout boards. Additionally, products manufactured in the state need to have information in Kannada.