New Delhi, Jul 21 (IANS): Over 9 lakh posts in various Central government departments were lying vacant as on March 1, 2021, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply, MoS PMO Jitendra Singh said: "As per Annual Report of Pay Research Unit of Department of Expenditure, total 9,79,327 posts were lying vacant in Central Government Ministries as on 01.03.2021."

However, no such data is maintained centrally in respect of PSUs, Central Universities, he added.

The creation and filling up of posts in the Central Government is the responsibility of the concerned ministry or department which is a continuous process.

Vacancies in ministries or departments of the Central Government, their attached or subordinate offices arise due to retirement, promotion, resignation, death etc. All ministries or departments of the central government have been asked to take action in a mission mode for filling up of vacant posts in a

time-bound manner, Jitendra Singh said.

Last month, the government has announced Agnipath scheme to fill vacancies in armed forces.