A few months after the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities were transferred from the Most Backward Communities (MBC) category to the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST), the Tamil Nadu government has framed guidelines to streamline the issuance of community certificates to these two communities.
A G.O. issued by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department last month classified the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities into three categories — those who do not have any community certificate, those who have MBC certificate and those who have certificates with some complaints or related documents are missing in the taluk office concerned.
Fresh applicants (Category-I) from these communities seeking the ST certificate, need to apply through the online portal and they would be issued certificates by Revenue Divisional Officer.
As for Category II (who have MBC certificate), those possessing the digital certificate issued through the online system, the data base would be changed as Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran Scheduled Tribes by the Revenue Divisional officer / Sub-Collector.
After carrying out the needed changes, the new digital certificate will be issued by the RDO/Sub-Collector after cancelling the earlier digital MBC certificate. “The procedure to issue this online will be created as a separate one.” Individuals who possess MBC card certificates (physical copy) “need to surrender” their MBC certificates through an online module by selecting the place of issue of the earlier certificate.
“The RDO/Sub-Collector of the place where the certificate was issued will cross verify and confirm the genuinity of the certificate in original ‘Issuance Register’ available in the taluk office. After verifying its genuinity, the ST certificate will be issued through online mode by the Revenue Divisional Officer / Sub-Collector,” the G.O. said. A new online module will be created for this process.
With respect to the doubtful cases with regard to earlier MBC certificate or missing details in Taluk office (those in Category III), field verification needs to be done by the RDO/Sub-Collector. “ST certificate can be issued by treating these cases as a new case, based on the reports of field verification. In case of missing certificate or documents or registers. such applications may be treated as new certificates and procedure for issue of Scheduled Tribe certificate needs to be followed,” the G.O. said.
