GUWAHATI: The Assam Government will stop the manual system of issuing caste certificates. Henceforth students can avail the digital caste certificates from the newly-launched Mission Bhumiputra Portal. The portal was launched by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa on Monday at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that under the mission the manual system of issuing caste certificate will cease to exist. From August 8. 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 will 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, said the CM.
If any doubt in the process crops up, the application may be sent for further verification. The certificates will be available in the Digi Locker under the IT Act with digitally signed by the respective Deputy Commissioners, said CM Sarma.
The Chief Minister said that earlier, people before joining a government job, had to go through a lengthy process to secure such documents. With the launch of Mission Bhumiputra such problems will be solved. 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.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also asked the Departments of Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Social Justice Empowerment to generate awareness on this new initiative.