Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 23: The Government today issued guidelines for the issuance of caste certificates to landless applicants in Jammu and Kashmir.
The guidelines were issued by Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner/ Secretary to the Government, Social Welfare Department, after the authorities received a large number of representations regarding the non-issuance of caste certificates to applicants who don’t own land. This is despite the fact that nowhere do the rules/guidelines enumerate land ownership as a mandatory condition for obtaining a caste certificate.
Accordingly, it has been ordered that landless applicants shall produce an extract of the electoral roll, Chullha-Bandi, or ration card before the concerned authority, i.e. the Tehsildar.
Landless applicants in rural areas may also produce a certificate from the local PRs-Sarpanches, BDC/ DDC members, or chairpersons, certifying that the beneficiary belongs to the SC/OBC caste and that their ancestors were/are residing in this village.
In the case of towns/urban areas, a certificate from the local Corporator for the SC/OBC community, stating that the applicant’s ancestors belong to the SC/OBC community and have been residing in the particular place for a long period, may also be produced.
After receiving the documents, it has been ordered that the Naib Tehsildar concerned shall conduct a camp inquiry, taking into account the statements of Lambardar/ Chowkidar and other local members of the community.
They (Naib Tehsildars) will then submit a detailed inquiry report within the stipulated period of time to the competent authority, i.e., the Tehsildar, for the issuance of the caste certificate.
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