The Railways on Tuesday said it will recruit 1,48,463 people over the next one year as compared to the 43,678 people recruited on an average annually over the last eight years.
This move came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instruction to recruit 10 lakh people in various departments and ministries in the next 18 months.
According to the latest annual report of the Department of Expenditure on Pay and Allowances, the total number of regular central government civilian employees in position (including in the Union territories) as of March 1, 2020, was 31.91 lakh as against the sanctioned strength of 40.78 lakh and approximately 21.75 per cent of the posts were vacant.
The report said almost 92 per cent of the total manpower is covered by five major ministries or departments — railways, defence (civil), home affairs, posts and revenue.
Of the total strength of 31.33 lakh (excluding the Union territories), the percentage share of the railways is 40.55.
Government sources said various departments and ministries were asked to prepare the details of vacancies following Modi’s direction to this effect and the decision to recruit 10 lakh people was taken following an overall review.
During various Assembly polls, opposition parties have tried to corner the BJP over the issue of unemployment.
The Railways said that from 2014-15 to 2021-22, its total intake was 3,49,422 people with an average of 43,678 per year, while in 2022-23 it will recruit 1,48,463 people.
Of the total expenditure on pay and allowances in 2019-20, the Ministry of Railways continues to have the largest share of 35.06 per cent, marginally decreasing from 36.78% in 2018-19.
The PTI has earlier reported that according to official documents, the national transporter has abolished over 72,000 posts in the last six years against a proposal to surrender 81,000 posts during the same period.
All of these are Group C and D posts which have become redundant due to technology, and they will not be available for recruitment purposes in the future.
Employees currently holding such posts are likely to be absorbed in various departments of the Railways.
Officials said these posts had to be eliminated as Railway operations have become modern and digitised.
According to the documents, the 16 zonal railways have surrendered 56,888 “non-essential” posts during the financial years 2015-16 to 2020-21, with 15,495 more scheduled to be surrendered.
While the Northern Railways has surrendered more than 9,000 posts, the South Eastern Railway has given up around 4,677. The Southern Railway has abolished 7,524 posts and the Eastern Railways more than 5,700.
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