Patna, Dec. 29: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today directed the general administration department to expedite filling up of all vacancies in different government departments as it was hampering their work and affecting various development schemes.

"It is imperative to expedite appointments to various positions vacant in several government departments. Many important posts in different departments are lying vacant and such a situation is affecting their functioning as well as implementation of development and welfare schemes," Nitish said.

The chief minister's instructions came at the department's review meeting today in presence of chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, development commissioner Shishir Sinha, department's principal secretary Amir Subhani and several other officials.

The orders also assume significance as these come at a time when all the government departments are being roped in to fulfil the seven resolves made by Nitish before the Assembly polls for taking Bihar to the level of developed states. These include continuous electricity, piped water, toilets to all, 35 per cent reservation in government jobs to women, making younger generation self-dependent, road and drainage for all rural habitations, and opening professional and technical educational institutions of excellence.

At the review meeting, Nitish took a detailed look at various recruitment examinations conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and Bihar State Staff Selection Commission (BSSSC) for filling up government vacancies and said the need of the hour was to expedite the recruitment procedure as well.

At present, there are 45 different departments in the state and Nitish asked the department officials to seek requisition from all of them about vacancies, probe them as per government rules related to their recruitment and then forward it to both the recruitment commissions. "The BPSC and the BSSSC should take necessary steps for filling up the vacancies. They will be given all possible support from the government so that the functioning of the state administration becomes faster," he added.

The chief minister also suggested that the BPSC and the BSSSC should prepare an annual calendar for examinations and conduct the tests as per schedule on time. "Both the commissions may also consider organising a single written exam instead of different preliminary and mains tests for various gazetted and non-gazetted posts. The appointments would be done on the basis of marks achieved by the candidates and their choices regarding different services. This would save much time and expedite recruitment to key government posts," Nitish suggested.

Subhani later said all the departments would be asked to prepare the list of vacancies with them and send their requirements directly to the BPSC and the BSSSC.

The chief minister also directed the department to determine guidelines and fix a deadline for various departments for submitting list of vacancies and the requisition for recruitment. "The departments concerned should send their requisition by that date for positions vacant with them."

He also asked to expedite the appointment of university teachers in subjects that have a large number of vacancies and suggested that recruitments exams for a few technical posts like those of doctors, engineers and agricultural services could be abolished and appointments could be done straightaway through interviews.