CHENNAI: People belonging to denotified communities will henceforth get a single certificate, instead of dual certificates, to avail welfare schemes. A release issued by the government on Saturday stated the decision was taken following instructions from Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Since March 8, 2019, the members of these communities have been getting ‘denotified community’ certificates for availing state government reservation and welfare schemes and ‘denotified tribe’ certificates for availing central government schemes.
A release said the communities that were affected by the Criminal Tribes Act during the British Rule were classified as denotified communities and were given 20% reservation along with Most Backward Classes. The members of 68 communities were given certificates as denotified community.
The members of the 68 communities have been giving representations to the government that they face difficulties due to the dual certificates and that they should be given a single certificate for availing of both state and central schemes and reservations. “Hereafter, the revenue officials will issue a single certificate to these communities,” the release added.
“We thank the CM for abolishing the dual certificates to our tribes. The 68 tribes will soon meet the CM and express our gratitude. However, our cadres are awaiting the fine print of the G.O. before celebrating the beat because our members feel that the announcement is ambiguous,” PK Duraimani, chief coordinator of the TN Denotified Tribes Welfare Association told TNIE.
