HYDERABAD: More than 6,500 applications seeking income, caste and residential certificates, have been piled up in all 16 Mandal revenue offices in Hyderabad district. As per rules, the certificates should be issued by the department within 20 days of receiving the application. Officials in the department blame back-to-back elections combined with a shortage of staff, as reasons for the delay in issuing the certificates.
A majority of the applicants of these certificates are usually students. With the new academic year fast nearing, many students apply for income and caste certificates, to apply for government scholarships, reservation and other benefits.
Most of the applications are received by the revenue department in April and May when the staff were busy with various election-related duties. The data obtained by Express from Hyderabad district collectorate shows that nearly 11,763 applications were submitted in May itself for issuing certificates.
According to revenue officials, Hyderabad district Collector, K Manicka Raj, recently conducted a high-level meeting and instructed them to clear the pending applications without further delay.
District Revenue Officer (DRO), Hyderabad, M V Bhoopal Reddy said, “We have already issued circular to all revenue officials to clear all pending applications without delay. If any Village Revenue Officer keeps them pending, we will take serious action against the Mandal Revenue Officer concerned.”