Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday said the Railway Ministry has "suddenly" woken up to posts lying vacant for nearly five years and described the Centre's announcement of employing over four lakh people in Railways "another jumla"
"Railways leave 2,82,976 posts vacant for nearly five years and suddenly wake up to say we will fill them in three months! Another jumla!" the Congress leader said in a tweet.
"The story is the same across many departments of the government. Vacant posts on one side, unemployed youth on the other," he added.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had on Wednesday said that the Railways would employ over four lakh people by 2021. He also said that recruitment for 2.3 lakh vacant posts will be completed in the next two years.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said: "Around 2.32 lakh vacancies are to be filled in the Railways as 1.32 lakh seats are presently vacant and 1 lakh employees will retire in two years. Last year, we started a mission to provide employment to 1.50 lakh people, which will be completed in the next two months."
"However, there are pending vacancies in old Group C and Group D and after adding them to the vacancies that are to be filled by the Railways in two years, it makes a total count of four lakh vacancies," he said.
Goyal added, "We are taking steps in advance to fulfil the vacancies that will get vacant after the retirement of 1 lakh employees in two years. These jobs will be provided without any change in the reservation meant for backward classes and physically challenged. Also, a 10 per cent reservation will be given to economically weaker sections of the general class."
PTI and IANS
