Assam CM launches digital issuance of caste certificates for students

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launched 'Mission Bhumiputra', a digital way to issue digitalised caste certificates to students

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday launched 'Mission Bhumiputra', a digital way to issue digitalised caste certificates to students.

The Chief Minister inaugurated a Bhumiputra Portal at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra.

"Implemented by the Departments of Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Social Justice Empowerment, the mission has been implemented to carry forward the government's mission of easy public service to the public," said an official statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said that the government will create two pillars under the mission.

"Henceforth, the manual system of issuing caste certificates will be ceased," he said.

The Deputy Commissioners will give the format of applications for the caste certificates to the Headmasters of educational institutions from August 8 onwards.

"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 certificates to the students. If any doubt in the process crops up, the application may be sent for further verification," said the statement.

"The certificates will be available in the digi locker under the IT Act with digitally signed by the respective Deputy Commissioners," it added.

The Chief Minister said that the problems that people faced earlier relating to securing the documents will be solved with the launch of Mission Bhumiputra.

"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," he said.

"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," the Chief Minister added.

He also asked the Departments of Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Social Justice Empowerment to generate awareness on this new initiative.

Sarma said that the government will release a Tribal Land Policy.

"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," he said.

The Chief Minister also said that 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 1 to 15 September. With regards to OBC certificates, State government will take necessary steps.

Chief Minister Sarma said that following the emphasis of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 'Minimum government, Maximum governance', the state government has been facilitating different public services seamlessly to the people.

"Moreover, with the introduction of digitalization, different services have been rendered to the people transparently and expeditiously. This system has put an end to the menace of 'middleman'," the Chief Minister added.