Karnataka launches doorstep delivery of caste, residence certificates
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar launched free doorstep delivery of caste and Permanent Residence Certificates (PRC) to simplify public services and support voter verification. Citizens can also download the certificates online or obtain them free through government facilitation centres
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday announced two major citizen-centric initiatives aimed at simplifying access to government services – free doorstep delivery of caste certificates and PRC in the state.
The chief minister said the Permanent Residence Certificates (PRC) initiative is aimed at protecting voting rights during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Launching the initiative, Shivakumar said officials would distribute the certificates door-to-door while eligible citizens could also download them through dedicated websites and avail services at facilitation centres set up across the state.
“We want the voters of Karnataka to be safe. We don’t want anyone to misuse the process. We want to give them their rights. Every voter should have their right — vote and right to live. When they have their vote, they can live safely,” the chief minister said addressing a press conference here.
He described the initiative as a first-of-its-kind exercise and said the government would also provide caste certificates and other documents to eligible beneficiaries.
“The Karnataka government has come out with a new concept to give you the caste certificate and the PRC at your doorstep,” he said. Shivakumar said around 4.85 crore families already had income and caste certificates in the Revenue Department’s database and government officials would visit households with printed copies of the documents.
People could also download the certificates free of cost through two newly launched websites, he added. A dedicated mobile application has been developed to record beneficiaries’ Aadhaar numbers, mobile numbers and acknowledgements after the certificates are delivered, ensuring transparency and proper authentication.
People will also be able to download their caste certificates free of cost through the designated government website using the certificate’s RD number, ration card number or Aadhaar number. The same service will also be available at government assistance centres.
To further improve access to public services, the government has established assistance centres at the ‘Hobli level’ (admistrative block) where people can obtain printed copies of caste certificates and other essential documents free of charge.
The chief minister said around 57 lakh caste certificates have already been linked to beneficiaries’ mobile numbers, and download links have been sent through WhatsApp and SMS, enabling them to access the documents digitally without any cost.
“We are not looking at politics. We are acting beyond politics. Every citizen has the right to vote and the right to live with dignity, and it is our responsibility to facilitate that,” he said.
Appealing to voters to cooperate with the SIR exercise, the CM urged them to sign and return the enumeration forms issued by Booth Level Officers to ensure that no eligible voter was left out of the electoral rolls.
Responding to the BJP’s criticism that the certificates had no legal validity, Shivakumar said the government was acting strictly within the law.
“I do not want to comment on that. The Election Commission has already issued its guidelines. We know the law of the land. We are fully empowered to issue these certificates under the authority vested in us,” he said.
The BJP or any other party is free to raise objections. It is their duty to do so. But it is the duty of the government to ensure that people receive their rightful documents, he added.
Earlier, Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said the government had established multiple channels for obtaining Permanent Residence Certificates, including Nada Kacheris (state offices), Gram One centres and the dedicated online portal.
He said applicants would be eligible if they satisfied any of the prescribed conditions — birth in Karnataka, continuous residence in the state for at least 10 years, studying in Karnataka for 10 academic years, having parents or a spouse who were permanent residents, ownership or lawful occupation of property in the state, enrolment in the electoral roll, or government service by the applicant or parents for at least seven years.
“If an applicant satisfies any one of these conditions and falls within this framework, we will be able to issue the certificate,” Parameshwara said.
He said PDF copies of 4.85 crore certificates had already been sent to Deputy Commissioners and eligible beneficiaries would receive them through district and taluk-level officials at their doorsteps.
The minister said appellate authorities headed by Tahsildars, Assistant Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners had also been designated to address grievances relating to applications and documentation.
