Context:

=> Chief Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled ‘Mission Bhumiputra’.

• Under the mission, digitalised caste certificates will be issued to students, in a simplified and digital way.
• It will be implemented by Departments of Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Social Justice Empowerment.

Highlights of the scheme:

=> Mission Bhumiputra will continue the government’s mission of providing easy public service to the public.

=> Under it, two pillars will be created by the government.

=> This mission will do away the manual system of issuing caste certificates.

=> It will also solve the problem faced by people in securing such documents, without any glitch.

Under Mission Bhumiputra:

=> The Deputy Commissioners will provide new format of applications of caste certificates to the headmasters of all educational institutions, from August 8, 2022.

=> Headmasters will require to fill up the application formats and submit to the Deputy Commissioners, who will forward it to the Boards of respective caste or tribe.

=> The Deputy Commissioners will then hold a meeting with Boards and decide on protocol to issue caste certificate for the students.

=> If there comes any doubt in this process, application may be sent for further verification.

=> Caste certificates will be available in Digi locker, as per IT Act.

=> It will be digitally signed by respective Deputy Commissioners.

=> This portal can be used by students from Class 8th to get the caste certificates from year 2023. Portal will also be in harmony with CM’s dashboard and would enable Chief Minister’s Office to monitor the entire process.