Expressing dismay that large number of Group C and Group D posts meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have not been filled up in railways,a Parliamentary committee on Thursday asked the ministry concerned to make concerted efforts to fill the vacancies. "It is a matter of great concern that the vacancies of 61 SCs and 73 STs in Group C and 121 STs in Group D during the year 2009 are still to be filled up and no serious effort seems to have been made for clearance of vacancies reserved for SCs/STs," the report,submitted by the committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,said. The committee,headed by Gobinda Chandra Naskar,in its latest report has impressed upon the Railway Ministry to make credible and concerted efforts so that vacancies reserved for SC/ST are not carried forward. The committee has also noted that not a single SC/ST official has been selected to the posts of Vigilance Inspector/Investigating Inspector in South Western Railway. The committee,therefore,recommends while appointing incumbents for these posts,SC/ST employees having the requisite qualifications should not be ignored just because there is no reservation but should be given fair opportunity to occupy such posts on ex-cadre tenure basis. The committee said despite a well placed method of recruitment adopted by the Railway Ministry and South Western Railway,the desired results,especially in the matter of recruitment of sufficient number of SCs/STs in Group C and Group D posts,have not been achieved.
