``I do not know the exact number of vacancies, but from media reports, it appears that the backlog is for more than one lakh placements. In view of the seriousness of the problem, we have chalked out a time-bound programme to fill the vacancies for the backward classes. August 15, 1998 will be base for filling up the vacancies. Specific instructions have been given to all heads of the department to complete the task before March 31, 1999,'' Social Welfare Minister Baban Gholap told The Indian Express.

Gholap made it clear that the revised orders to clear the backlog will be binding on not only government departments, but also to all the State-run enterprises, municipal corporations and councils, zilla parishad, aided educational institutions, agricultural and non-agriculturaluniversities and cooperative societies.

``If any of these institutions do not implement the orders of the government, we will not hesitate to take stern action against erring organisations. So far as the government departments are concerned, the entire responsibility to ensure that the order is implemented in letter and spirit has been entrusted to a specially appointed Deputy Secretary,'' Gholap added.

The Social Welfare Minister said all the heads of the departments and Chief Executive Officers of the State-run corporations have been given a comprehensive note on the procedure to be adopted for clearing the backlog.

``So far the posts, which are filled by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), the heads of the department have been directed to submit the demand to the MPSC. Appropriate instructions have also been given to the District and Regional Selection Boards for the purpose,'' he added.

Ever since the alliance government came to power in March 1995, it has been accused of ignoringthe interest of Dalits and backward classes, particularly in the areas of recruitments and promotions. Castribe, an organisation set up to protect the interest of Dalits, headed by trade union leader Krishna Ingle had alleged that the alliance government was deliberately not recruiting Dalits in government for one or the other reason.

Subsequently, Ingle had submitted a comprehensive statement to the then chief secretary Dinesh Afzulpurkar on the row. Simultaneously, the Backward Class Officers Association had also taken up the dispute with Chief Minister Manohar Joshi.