DH NEws Service
BANGALORE, March 27

The State government has empowered the appointing authorities in various departments to take necessary steps to fill up backlog vacanies earmarked for SCs/STs at the earliest, Social Welfare Minister Kagodu Thimmappa informed the Legislative Assembly today.

Replying to the call attention notice tabled by B Somashekar, C Byre Gowda, P G R Sindhia and S S Patil (JD-U), Mr Thimappa, who was replying on behalf of Chief Minister S M Krishna admitted that there was delay in clearing the backlog due to rural weightage issue. The Government has issued a circular directing the heads of various departments at the district level, divisional level and state level to identify the backlog and take steps to fill the vacancies at the earliest.

Intervening, Mr C Byre Gowda (JD-U) wanted the government to set a deadline for the officials to furnish the list of backlog vacancies. He further urged the government to take stringent action against officials failing to provide the list.

Mr Thimmappa said that promotion of persons belonging to SCs and STs against backlog will be continued in accordance with the government order of June 24, 1997. The provisions of the order will continue to operate until the existing backlog is cleared.

APPEAL: Mr Thimmappa appealed to the striking SC/ST unemployed engineers in Gulbarga to withdraw their strike as the government has taken steps to fill the backlog vacancies.