Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government is working towards creating an atmosphere where trade and industry come forward to reserve jobs for the socially underprivileged - a practice in vogue in the public sector.

Reserving jobs in private sector or affirmative action was part of the national Common Minimum Programme of UPA-I and it had initiated a national dialogue with political parties and industry to see how this can be implemented.

"To take forward the affirmative action, we need to create an atmosphere so that trade and industry participants help us on this issue. We are working hard towards that and we acknowledge it needs to be taken forward fast," he said replying to a question on progress on affirmative action.

The UPA-I had said in May 2004 that it "is very sensitive to the issue of affirmative action, including reservations, in the private sector.

"It will immediately initiate a national dialogue with all political parties, industry and other organizations to see how best the private sector can fulfil the aspirations of scheduled caste and scheduled tribe youth," Singh said.

At present, the law provides for reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, among others, in public sector jobs, besides quota in education.