Siddarth Sethia
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 across Karnataka and the delegation of powers to Deputy Tahsildars to issue permanent residence certificates to speed up the process.
Launching the initiatives,the Chief Minister said they marked a new chapter in Karnataka’s administrative history by bringing government services closer to the people through technology and simplified governance.
“This is not merely about distributing certificates.It is about protecting the identity and voice of every citizen in a democracy.
Our objective is to ensure that government services reach the people instead of people having to run from one government office to another,”he said.
As part of the doorstep delivery programme,the government has already classified and shared 4.85 crore digital caste certificates with Deputy Commissioners in district-, taluk- and village-wise PDF formats.
District administrations will print the certificates and deliver them directly to beneficiaries.
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.
Citizens 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 where citizens 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.
In another significant administrative reform,Shivakumar announced that the Revenue Department has delegated additional powers to Deputy Tahsildars to issue permanent residence certificates,a move expected to substantially reduce delays and make the service more accessible to citizens.
Emphasising the government’s vision of doorstep governance, the Chief Minister said people should no longer have to visit multiple government offices for essential documents.
“The government itself will come to your doorstep.This is our guarantee,he said.
Stating that the government’s foremost priority is to ensure that even the most marginalised citizens receive services with dignity, ease and without discrimination or delay,Shivakumar said empowering citizens through efficient and transparent governance was essential for Karnataka’s progress.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by DCM Dr G Parameshwara and other senior bureaucrats.
