Bengaluru, June 26 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday announced that the state government has directed all departments to prepare recruitment notifications for filling 72,000 vacant posts, and two senior IAS officers have been appointed to monitor and expedite the process.

Addressing the media here, Parameshwara said: “Before coming to power, we had promised in our election manifesto that we would fill 1.50 lakh vacant government posts in a phased manner. The process was delayed due to various reasons, the major one being the issue of internal reservation.”

He said the government had constituted a commission headed by Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das (retd.) to examine the issue of internal reservation. “After the commission submitted its report, the government took a decision on internal reservation, clearing the way for recruitment,” he said.

Parameshwara noted that the state Budget had announced the filling up of 56,942 posts and that the recruitment process had already commenced.

“The Finance Department had granted approval to fill around 26,000 posts, and all departments were instructed to prepare recruitment notifications accordingly,” he said.

He added that following changes in the government and the appointment of a new Chief Minister, the vacancies were re-verified, after which the government decided to fill 72,000 posts.

“All departments have now been directed to issue recruitment notifications. Even in our Revenue Department, preparations are underway to issue notifications. Similarly, departments such as Education, Health and Public Works have been instructed to issue notifications without delay for the recruitment of teachers, doctors, nurses and engineers,” he said.

Parameshwara said the issue was discussed at the last Cabinet meeting and that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had appointed two senior IAS officers — Uma Mahadevan and Gaurav Gupta — to oversee and monitor the implementation of the recruitment process.

“Our intention is to provide employment opportunities to the thousands of unemployed youth in the state. They have taken to the streets on several occasions, demanding recruitment. Considering this, the government has decided to accord top priority to filling these 72,000 posts,” he said.

Responding to questions on the proposed Bidadi Integrated Township Project, Parameshwara reiterated that the government would not forcibly acquire land from farmers.

“I have already made it clear that we will not force farmers to vacate their lands. There is no meaning in adopting such an approach. We must take them into confidence and obtain their consent. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has directed officials to secure the consent of farmers before acquiring land,” he said.

He added that if farmers felt the compensation being offered was inadequate, the government was open to enhancing it.

“Our objective is to take farmers into confidence and implement the Bidadi Township Project with their cooperation,” he said.

Responding to suggestions that the government intends to develop the Bidadi project as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub because of the availability of water resources, Parameshwara said that was not the primary objective.

“We do not know the specific parameters required for establishing AI centres. The township is not being created solely to make it an AI hub. There are several factors behind the project. Bengaluru is facing enormous pressure due to traffic congestion and rapid urbanisation,” he said.

He pointed out that the original NICE project had envisaged the development of seven townships around Bengaluru to reduce pressure on the city.

“If a township is developed near Bengaluru, it will help decongest the city. Similarly, if neighbouring cities such as Tumakuru, Kolar, and Ramanagara are developed as tier-two cities, the pressure on Bengaluru will reduce. The Bidadi Township Project is intended to achieve that objective,” Parameshwara said.

–IANS

mka/vd