Stressing that the United Progressive Alliance government was deeply committed to inclusive growth, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar on Wednesday asked private sector to initiate efforts for reserving jobs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes youth as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

"The government and the public sector provide reservation in jobs for SC and ST. But this kind of protection is absent in the private sector. . . (in view of the fact that) job opportunities in private sector have expanded after liberlisation while government departments have been downsizing," said Kumar.

Stating that it was the priority of her ministry to see how best the private sector could fulfill the aspirations of SC and ST youth, she said that UPA government was very sensitive to the issue of affirmative action including reservation in the private sector which was also a part of National Common Minimum Programme.

Kumar also asked the private industry to have a relook at the issue of merit while employing SC and ST youth, considering the discriminatory nature of the society and consequent inequality of opportunities.

"So far reservation (for SC and ST) is concerned, there is a opposition to it in the private sector. . . It is said that those who come through reservation do not have merit which is not true because in India merit is adjudged and determined in an unjust social system," she asserted.

She observed, "the captains of industry had agreed on affirmative action by way of scholarship and training and although attempts have been made...but they are few and certainly not in proportion to level and scale of business and industry in the private sector."

She urged industry to also provide employment to those who have been trained at all levels such as executive, managerial, technical and also organize special placement camps for this purpose.

The minister also asked the Indian corporate sector to seriously think of becoming partner of central and state governments in constructing a stable and sustainable society.

"Bringing about socio economic transformation in the society is not the task of state alone, with others being silent spectators. The responsibility has to be shared by civil society, affluent class including captains of industry," she said.