Jhargram district administration has issued more than 2 lakh caste certificates, according to a report published by the Backward Classes Welfare department. This is important as chief minister Mamata Banerjee visits the district tomorrow. She will spend two nights in the district and at the function to distribute benefits, she will be giving away the caste certificates. Miss Banerjee will be in the district to take part in the distribution programme on 9 August which is the International Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

The report of the Backward Classes Welfare department states that the certificates have been issued for two years, 8 June 2021 to 7 August, 2023. Senior officials of Jhargram district administration said the application forms had been sent to the houses of the beneficiaries. On receiving the forms, inquiries had been conducted and then certificates were issued to the beneficiaries.

The blocks and municipality, from where applications for caste certificates were received include Binpur-I, Binpur-II, Gopiballavpur-I and II, Jamboni, Jhargram. Jhargram Municipality, Nayagram and Sankrail. In Binpur I and II, total applications received from SC, ST, OBC A, OBC B were 38,221. In Binpur II, 25,441 applications were received.

In Gopiballavpur I and II, 26, 182 and 14,986 applications were received. In Jamboni and Jhargram, total applications filed were 25,465 and 28,600 respectively. In Jhargram municipality area 11, 693 applications were filled followed by Nayagram and Sankrail where applications filed were 24, 578 and 19,833 respectively. In these blocks, the total number of certificates issued were 2,00,062.

Altogether 1,580 applications were rejected for various reasons that included no SC and ST, OBC A and OBC B people also applied for caste certificates. It may be recalled after coming to power in 2011 Mamata Banerjee took several measures for fast issuance of caste certificates. Earlier, people had to run from pillar to post to get caste certificates.

The waiting period was huge and they could not avail the facilities as they could not produce caste certificates. Following Miss Banerjee’s instructions, fairs were held across the state to issue caste certificates.