Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched ‘Mission Bhumiputra’ on Monday, a digital platform for issuing digitised caste certificates to students. During a programme at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, the Chief Minister inaugurated a Bhumiputra Portal.
“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,” according to an official statement.
Sarma stated on the occasion that the government will establish two pillars under the mission.
“Henceforth, the manual system of issuing caste certificates will cease,” he said.
From August 8 onwards, the Deputy Commissioners will provide the format for 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 certificates to the students. If any doubt in the process crops up, the application may be sent for further verification,” according to the statement.
“The certificates will be available in the digi locker under the IT Act digitally signed by the respective Deputy Commissioners,” it added. The Chief Minister stated that with the launch of Mission Bhumiputra, people’s problems with document security will be resolved.
“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 stated.
“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 that the Departments of Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Social Justice Empowerment promote awareness about this new initiative. Sarma stated that the government will issue a Tribal Land Policy.
“As a part of the 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 stated.
The Chief Minister also stated that the government has prioritised issuing EWS certificates to the people, and that steps will be taken to issue such certificates to students from class VIII onwards.
From the 1st to the 15th of September, an awareness rally will be held. In terms of OBC certificates, the state government will take the necessary steps. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,’ Chief Minister Sarma stated that the state government has been providing various public services to the people in a seamless manner.
“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.