The Punjab Government has issued directions to all the Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Tehsildars regarding issuance of SC/ST certificates in time to the migrant people from other states belonging to the said categories.Disclosing this, SC/BC Welfare Minister, Punjab, Gulzar Singh Ranike said that it was brought to the notice of the government by various organizations that after issuance of government letter no. 1/13/2007-RS1/395-416 Dated. 16-3-2009, various district administrations had stopped issuing caste certificates to the SC/ST category persons migrating from other states to Punjab.The minister further said that it has been made clear in the Government of India letter no. BC-12025/2//76-SCT 1,Dated.22.3.1977, letter no. 16014/82-SC. and BD-1 Dated. 18-9-1982 and letter no. BC-16014/1/82-SC and BCD-1 Dated. 6-8-1984 and Punjab Government letter no. 1/52/95 RS1/713-714, Dated. 17-1-1996, letter no. 15/13/99 RS1/1134-1135 Dated. 2-12-1999 that the migrant population coming to Punjab and belonging to SC/ST category, be issued SC/ST category certificates irrespective of the fact that whether the concerned person’s caste is included in the list of SC communities in Punjab or not. But it had also been made clear that migrant person can avail benefits from the state of their origin only and are not entitled by right to avail the benefits accorded to the SC/ST communities of Punjab by the state government.
Divulging more, the minister said that the letter no. BC-12025/2/76-SCT.-1, Dated 22-3-1977 issued by the Government of India has clarified in the matter that the President of India has notified at certain points of time various SC/ST communities as SC/ST for various states & Union Territories. Regarding which the copy of ‘The Constitution (S.C.) orders, 1950 concerning SC’s amended till 2007 and the copy of ‘The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) orders, 1950 concerning ST’s amended till 2002, is available on the website of the scheduled castes and backward classes welfare department in accordance with which the date of notifying any caste as SC/ST occupies prime importance in the matter of the residence of a person belonging to that caste or tribe.
S. Ranike also said that those persons who were permanent residents of Punjab on the date of notification of the SC’s of the state, are only considered as SC community of Punjab along with their offspring and it has been made quite clear that the state of origin of such persons for availing benefits as Scheduled Caste is the state of Punjab. The persons, who have migrated from their state of origin to Punjab, are to be considered migrant persons for the purpose of availing benefits as SC’s.Revealing more, the minister said that the migrant person can be issued SC certificate on the basis of the SC category certificate issued to the parents (father mother) of a migrant person by the competent authority appointed by the state of origin of that migrant person. But in case the authority feels to have comprehensive probe first, then the certificate can only be issued after such probe. The certificates can also be issued manually in case such a need arises in order to ensure the benefits to the migrant person/persons as SC’s by the Union Government and their state of origin.