Law on 80% jobs for locals in industries not possible: Goa CM

The Goa government cannot make a law making it mandatory for industries in the state to employ 80 per cent of their workforce from the local population, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the Assembly on Thursday.

Making such a law would violate the Constitution, he said.

"We are governed by the Indian Constitution and we cannot have a law making it mandatory for industries to employ 80 per cent of their workforce from Goa," Sawant said.

The chief minister was responding to a demand in this regard made by Churchill Alemao (NCP) while speaking on demands of grants for the Revenue and Labour and Employment Departments.

When pointed out that the Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed such a Bill, Sawant said it will not stand legal scrutiny.

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat of the Congress said though it may be difficult to frame this kind of a law for industries, factories in the state can be asked to give preference to the locals in employment.