Bengal to ensure smooth handover of caste certificates following CM Mamata Banerjee's diktat

The West Bengal government has taken special measures to ensure Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes people do not face harassment while procuring caste certificates, official sources said on Tuesday.

The measures were taken following instruction from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the Backward Class Welfare department on the issue.

A total of 23 senior officers have been given the responsibility in the state's 23 districts to see to it that the applications submitted by the Backward Classes people do not get stuck due to red-tape.

The officers would monitor all nitty-gritties relating to such applications till the block level and take action against officials found negligent in carrying out their duty, the sources said.

Already show-cause notices have been slapped against six inspectors for their negligence in giving such certificates.

An order has been issued for taking special measures to ensure timely completion of projects for the development of the people from the backward classes.

Over the past three weeks, 90,000 people have been given caste certificates by scrutinising old records. The government also set up 14,000 camps and handed over 40,000 caste certificates in various districts during the same period.