Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan today announced setting up of a committee to strengthen and improve the State Public Service Commission.

Speaking at a meeting convened to review the functioning of the Maharashtra State Public Service Commission (MPSC), Chavan said he would accord top priority to providing budgetary provisions, adequate office space, computerisation and enhancing the financial powers of the MPSC chairman.

He said the committee would deliberate on all these issues to improve the functioning of the MPSC.

Chavan said all departments had made requests to the MPSC for 8,000 posts.

"Giving advertisements for the posts, scrutinising applications and completing the recruitment process will take lot of time. Revenue, Health and Home departments recruitments should be completed expeditiously," he said.

Chavan admitted that government services are affected if the posts remain vacant for a longer time.

He lauded the MPSC for creating websites and seeking online applications from aspirants and stressed the need to utilise modern technology to clear the backlog of recruitments.

"Planning should be such that a post should be filled the next day itself after a present employee retires," he said and asked the MPSC to complete the recruitment process by March next year.