Shimla, Apr 24 (IANS): With 16,000 posts vacant in the Education Department alone, a meeting of the Cabinet Sub Committee on employment opportunities, presided over by Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, was held here on Monday to discuss filling of vacant posts in various government departments.

Around 70,000 posts of different categories are lying vacant in various departments, said the Industries Minister.

In the past five years, 2,375 posts were filled through the HP Public Service Commission and 15,706 posts through HP Staff Selection Commission.

He said the Cabinet Sub Committee expressed its concern over the slow recruitment process and it would also examine the mechanism to speed up the process.

The minister said in tribal areas, various posts were lying vacant in different departments, especially in the Education Department. He said the government would prioritise filling the vacant posts so that studies of students are not hampered for want of teachers.

He said that about 16,000 posts are vacant in the Education Department and the government is looking to fill these posts at the earliest.

Chauhan said the Congress has promised one lakh jobs in its election manifesto. This was the second meeting of the Cabinet Sub Committee in this regard. He said another meeting of this Sub-Committee has been scheduled for April 25.