Rajouri, Mar 19: Days after Jammu and Kashmir Government issued a necessary SRO through social welfare department over amendments in reservations to the people, the revenue authorities have started to issue Schedule Tribe (ST) category certificate to the people of Pahari ethnic tribe.
Large number of applicants have submitted their online applications for getting this certificate.
A delegation of Pahari ST Tribe Forum also met Deputy Commissioner Rajouri and demanded timely issuance of the certificates to all the genuine applicants and also to ensure that the issuing authorities demand no other formality except mentioned in the government rule.
Pertinent to mention here that four new tribes of Jammu and Kashmir have been included in the reservation under the category of scheduled tribe after a related bill was passed in both the houses of the parliament. Later the bill was given assent by President Droupadi Murmu.
Late last week, the Administrative Council of Jammu and Kashmir Government headed by the Lieutenant Governor also approved the changes.
Soon after a SRO was issued by Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday last week, the people from Pahari ethnic tribe put forth the demand for immediate issuing of ST categories certificates in their favour with the revenue department started receiving applications in online mode on Monday.
The first St category certificate was issued by Tehsildar Haveli Poonch to an applicant and this stormed the social media after which a large number of applicants have started submission of their online applications for getting the certificates.
” We have applied to get our ST category certificate and are thankful to the Government for starting the process in online mode,” Sunil Sharma, a member of Pahari ethnic tribe from Rajouri said.
He added that government should ensure that the applications are cleared in a time bound manner and first priority is given to all those applicants who has either to sit in any examination or have to appear for any recruitment exam.
Assistant Commissioner Revenue Rajouri, Jahangir Khan told that all the Tehsildars in the district are issuing the certificates after receiving applications in online mode.
He said that the formalities required for submitting the application online are the basic formalities which every family possess. Assistant Commissioner Revenue Poonch, Abdul Qadir Qazi said that the first ST category certificate in respect of a Pahari ethnic tribe member was issued by Tehsildar Haveli on Monday.
He informed that all the Tehsildars in the district are receiving the applications online and are processing the same for issuing the certificates in time bound manner. Meanwhile, a delegation of Pahari ST Tribe Forum headed by Adv Ehsan Mirza, former Deputy Advocate General, met Deputy Commissioner Rajouri in his office chamber and discussed the matter regarding issuance of certificates.
Mirza said that they called upon Deputy Commissioner Rajouri and discussed the matter on which the officer has informed that four basic formalities are required that include ration card, domicile, aadhar card and a revenue extract where as the issuing authority, Tehsildar, can also ask for some additional formalities to authenticate the applicant that include report from Lamberdar, Chowkidar and an affidavit.
Mirza said that they have appealed Deputy Commissioner to direct all the Tehsildars to ensure that the applications are cleared in a time bound manner.