New Delhi: More than 700 posts earmarked for the reserved category are lying vacant in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), Parliament was informed today.

"As on date, only 285 posts earmarked for scheduled castes and 423 posts earmarked for scheduled tribes are lying vacant in CPSEs, under the Department of Heavy Industry," Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Praful Patel said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

Most of the CPSEs having vacant posts for reserved category are sick/loss-making and have been referred to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). No recruitment is being made in these CPSEs, he added.

However, the Minister said, in other CPSEs the vacant posts of reserved category are due to non-availability of suitable candidates despite repeated advertisement/efforts.

In addition to the normal recruitment process, Special Recruitment Drives were launched to fill up these vacant posts as per the instructions of the Department of Personnel and Training.

Replying to another query, Patel said to revive sick PSU Hindustan Photo Films, his Ministry had submitted a Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) note to the Cabinet Secretariat on July 14, 2012 and the same was discussed by the CCEA in its meeting on August 23, 2012.

However, he said, the note was withdrawn so as to fine tune the proposal.

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