KURNOOL: Job seekers and students are facing difficulties in getting caste, residential and income certificates due to the rampant corruption in the revenue department in the district. It is alleged that the corrupt revenue staff are refusing to give them the certificates in the name of small mistakes like non-submission of some proofs if the applicants fail to pay the bribe Engineering and medical aspirants are forced to pay bribes to VRO and mandal revenue inspectors to get the certificates in time. Caste and income documents have to be produced during admissions in educational institutions.
As per the government guidelines, caste, income, residence and OBC certificates are issued through Mee Seva centres after verification of applications by the revenue staff. Attestation by the VRO and mandal revenue inspector is required on the requisition letter provided to Mee Seva at the time of applying for these certificates.
The required certificates will be available to download at Mee Seva centres within 30 days. But some revenue staff are blatantly rejecting the applications in the name of enquiry and lack of proofs like ration card, Aadhaar card, spelling mistakes in ID proof and other trivial reasons. “You can get a caste certificate in a matter of a day or two, if you pay a bribe of Rs 500 to a tout at the tahsildar’s office,” said R Suresh, who recently got OBC certificate for his sister.
“I made at least 10 rounds to Kallur tahsildar office to just get the sign of VRO and RI on my application,” said G Raghavendra, a medical aspirant. “Finally, I paid Rs 200 without the knowledge of my father, who is an ACB cop, to get the certificate in time,” he said.
Some revenue staff have allegedly fixed rates to attest an application form for certificates. For caste certificate, it is Rs 500 (urgent) and Rs 300 (one week time). For OBC certificate, it is Rs 400. For below Rs 60,000 annual income certificate, it is Rs 600, for up to Rs 1 lakh income certificate, the rate is Rs 400. For above Rs 1 lakh annual income certificate, it is Rs 300, the students said.