New Delhi, Dec. 15: Private-sector companies that employ religious minorities on a large enough scale will get tax exemptions and other benefits, a minority ministry official has told The Telegraph.

The government apparently sees the incentive scheme as an alternative to earlier suggestions of a private-sector job quota that industry has opposed.

Under the plan, expected to be implemented by end-2010, the Centre will also prime a certain number of minority job-seekers for private-sector employment by upgrading their soft skills at its own cost, the source said.

The government hasn’t yet worked out the percentages or numbers that a company must meet to claim the benefits, which will include wide government publicity and goodwill, the official said.

“We are in talks with major corporate houses in the country, and their response has been very encouraging so far,’’ he said. He added that having the same minister — Salman Khursheed — for corporate affairs and minorities had helped.

The minority ministry is devising a national scheme to select candidates for the skill upgrade programme, the official said.

These candidates will be expected to have the necessary technical skills; the government will mainly improve their soft skills — usually a crucial requirement in the private sector.

Initially, only lower-rung job-seekers will be trained. For instance, a would-be peon may be taught the basic English he would need. Candidates will also be taught how to do well in interviews.

The official said the ministry was in touch with companies and corporate houses including Infosys, the Tata group, Bharti Enterprises, Coca-Cola India Pvt Ltd, PepsiCo, the ITC Welcom group and Hero Honda.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in his first tenure called on industry to voluntarily take affirmative action on recruitment, starting a buzz about a possible job quota for the private sector.

Business chamber Ficci then set up a task force to look into the issue. The task force’s report to the Prime Minister rejected any legally enforceable job quota.

“Industry believes the competitiveness of enterprise and economy is not negotiable and must be achieved and maintained through knowledge and competence in this rapidly developing Indian economy,” the report said.

The minority ministry official said the government did not want to push reservation for minorities down anyone’s throat. “Therefore, we are going for an incentive-based scheme rather than making it a mandatory thing,’’ he said.

The Centre had earlier asked public and private sector firms to do a religion-based headcount of their employees as part of an effort to end discrimination. The companies were to prepare a database with details of their staff, including religion and caste.