Kolkata, May 16 -- Bengal Minister for Tribal Development and Backward Classes Welfare Kshudiram Tudu on Friday said the state government has ordered fresh verification of caste certificates issued since 2011, alleging that several fake or irregular SC, ST and OBC certificates were issued during the previous regime. Tudu warned that beneficiaries who obtained certificates illegally, as well as officials involved in issuing such documents in violation of rules, will face strict action.
The move follows an earlier high-level administrative meeting where Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reportedly directed senior secretaries to identify officers involved in issuing illegal caste certificates during the SIR period.
According to official sources, nearly 16.9 crore caste certificates have been issued in the state since 2011. Of these, around 1 crore were issued under the Scheduled Caste category, nearly 21 lakhs under Scheduled Tribe, and about 48 lakhs under the OBC category.
Questions have reportedly been raised over the authenticity and validity of a section of these certificates.
Officials said district administrations have been instructed to begin re-verification immediately.
The government has also made it clear that if any certificate is found to have been obtained through false information or procedural violations, appropriate administrative and legal action will follow.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.