Getting caste validity certificates for children and "blood relations" of those belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Vimukta Jatis and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has been made easier by the Maharashtra government.
As per the state cabinet's decision today, children or "blood relations" of persons belonging to these categories would not need to submit separate proofs to establish their own caste.
Children will have to submit the caste validity certificates of fathers to obtain certificates for themselves. Blood relations will have to submit only the caste validity certificate of the relative who himself/herself possesses it.
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"The government will soon implement 'digital locker' concept, which will further ease and speed up the process (of obtaining caste validity certificate)," said social justice minister Rajkumar Badole.
A project for scanning and digitisation of caste validity certificates will be launched soon, he said.
The cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Caste Validity Rules, 2012 for facilitating Digital Locker concept (where certificates or documents are made available online).
"Despite father having a caste validity certificate, it was mandatory for children to submit all the documentary proofs all over again," Badole said.
"Now, after the applicant submits documentary proof of father's caste validity certificate to the District Caste Validation Certificate Committee, the application will be uploaded on the website of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute and on the notice board of concerned offices for inviting claims and objections in 15 days," he said.
The applicant will get the certificate after a month, Badole said.
During elections, six to seven lakh applications are received for caste validity certificates while about 10 lakh students apply for the same every year for academic purposes, he said.
About 36,000 applications for validity certificates are pending before district-level committees, Badole said.
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