Telangana government on Tuesday stated there are no hurdles to conduct recruitments to about 85,000 government jobs. However, the government didn’t provide a clear timeline as to when the recruitments will begin. Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao said the Chief Minister has already promised that all recruitments would be completed within a year. However, dissatisfied with the “government’s callousness towards the issue,” Opposition parties walked out of the Assembly on Tuesday.

The matter pertaining to recruitments was once again raised during the Question Hour on Tuesday morning. Earlier, when the matter was raised, the government had said that recruitments can’t be taken up until the Kamalanathan committee submits its reports regarding staff allocations between Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh.

However, under pressure from the Opposition on Tuesday, finance minister Etela Rajender conceded, “There are 1,07,744 vacant posts out of which about 15,000 posts are related to the Kamalanathan committee. About 85,000 posts are district, zonal and multi-zonal posts. There is no hurdle for recruitments to these posts.”

Replying to MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi’s queries on Urdu medium exams and 12 per cent reservations for Muslims, Mr Rajender said, “Urdu exam issue is under consideration of the government. The four per cent reservation for Muslims will continue but if there is a recommendation from the appointed committee, we will implement the same.” He also said the government was planning to take up recruitments on a regular basis annually or biannually.

However, the government was criticised by the Opposition for not spelling out when the recruitments would be taken up. Leader of Opposition K. Jana Reddy said, “You admitted that recruitments in 85 per cent posts can be initiated immediately. But till date even a few thousand posts have not been filled by the government.”

Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao responded saying, “Our Chief Minister has already said that 1 lakh recruitments would be taken up within 1 year. We will begin the process soon.” However, dissatisfied Opposition parties Congress, BJP, CPI and CPM walked out protesting the callousness of the government towards the issue.