Self-attestation Of Minority Certificate Enough For Availing Welfare Scheme Benefits: Centre

28 June, New Delhi

People belonging to minority communities will no longer have to secure certificates from officials to avail of benefits of welfare schemes for them. In a recent communication, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has informed the states that self-attestation of minority certificate is enough.

The government has notified six communities as minorities–Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains.

The recent decision follow several representations from people belonging to minority communities, especially Jains, complaining about not being able to avail of benefits extended to them in the absence of testified certificates.

It also came in the wake of the ministry launching programmes for raising the socio-economic profile of the minorities.

These include the USTAAD programme for capacity building and updating the traditional skills of master craftsmen and artisans. One more programme called ‘Nai Manzil’ aimed at bridging the knowledge gap of students passing out of Madrasas and facilitating their admission into mainstream schools and colleges is on the anvil.