The Assam government on August 1 launched a scheme to digitally deliver caste certificates to school students in the state.
Called ‘Mission Bhumiputra’, the scheme will simplify issuance of caste certificates to the students who require them to avail several benefits, including reservation in admissions and jobs.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa on August 1 launched ‘Mission Bhumiputra’ and inaugurated a website at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
Implemented by the departments of tribal affairs (plain) and social justice empowerment, the mission has been implemented to carry forward government’s mission of easy public service to the public.
Speaking on the occasion, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that under the mission, government will create two pillars. Henceforth, manual system of issuing caste certificate will be ceased. From August 8 onwards, the deputy commissioners will give the format of applications for caste certificates to the headmasters of educational institutions. The headmasters will fill up the application formats for their onward submission to the deputy commissioners who then forward the applications to the boards of respective caste or tribe. The DC then will convene a meeting with the boards to decide on the protocol for issuing caste certificate to the students. If any doubt in the process crops up, the application may be sent for further verification. The certificates will be available in the Digilocker under the IT Act with digitally signed by the respective deputy commissioners.
The chief minister also said that earlier people before joining any government job, had to bear encumbrances to secure such documents. However, with the lunch of ‘Mission Bhumiputra’ such problems will be solved without any glitch. From next year, students from class VIII can apply for caste certificates through this portal which will also be lined with CM’s dashboard to enable the chief minister’s office to monitor the entire process. He also asked departments of tribal affairs (plain) and social justice empowerment to generate awareness on this new initiative.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on this occasion also said that as a part of government’s commitment to the welfare of the people belonging to different tribes, along with launching Basundhara-II, the government will release a tribal land policy.
The chief minister also said that the Assam government has laid emphasis on issuing EWS certificates to the people as steps will be taken to issue such certificate to the students from class VIII onwards. An awareness rally will be organised from September 1-15.
