Bengal Government Initiates Re-Verification of Caste Certificates Issued since 2011

Since 2011, the state has issued approximately 1.69 crore certificates for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). A letter from the Backward Classes Welfare Department to all District Magistrates, dated May 14, notes that around 47.8 lakh (4.78 million) of these certificates were issued through the Duare Sarkar initiatives during the previous Trinamool Congress administration. This issuance included approximately 32.51 lakh SC certificates, 6.65 lakh ST certificates, and 8.64 lakh OBC certificates.

The Duare Sarkar program, launched by the Trinamool Congress government in 2020, aimed to bring government services closer to the people by organizing camps at the doorstep of citizens. This initiative addressed the documentation needs of marginalized communities, thereby facilitating access to various government benefits and schemes. The current administration continues to work on enhancing the delivery of services to these communities in a bid to promote social equity and upliftment.