New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI): Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday termed the announcement by the Railways that nearly 3 lakh people will be recruited in the next two years as "another jumla (gimmick)".

In a series of tweets, the former Union minister said the story is the same across many departments of the government as on one hand, there are vacant posts and on the other, there are unemployed youths.

"Railways leave 2,82,976 posts vacant for nearly 5 years and suddenly wake up to say we will fill them in 3 months! Another jumla!," Chidambaram said.

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal had on Wednesday said the national transporter will recruit around 1.31 lakh employees within the next six months and about a lakh more over the next two years.

The Indian Railways has a sanctioned strength of 15,06,598 employees. Out of these, 12,23,622 personnel are on roll.

The remaining 2,82,976 are vacant posts. The recruitment for 1,51,548 posts in the railways is going on, leaving 1,31,428 posts still vacant, Goyal had said.