Validity of OBC Certificate will be for three years

Dehradun:-The validity period of OBC Certificate will be now for three years instead of 6 months. Polytechnic Institutes, Engineering Colleges and Schools on CBSE pattern would be established on PPP mode in which 50 percent seats would be reserved for students of SC category.

 Decisions to this effect were taken in a review meeting of Social Welfare and Minority Welfare Department chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna at his residence on Wednesday. Chief Minister Bahuguna said that the benefits of all the welfare

programs launched under Social Welfare Department should reach to the last person. He said that he would visit four Muslim dominated areas next month and review works undertaken in last 10 years in those areas. He directed Secretary Social Welfare to identify those four areas including one from Dehradun, two from Haridwar and one from Udham Singh Nagar.

 Mr. Bahuguna directed the officers to increase the validity period of OBC certificates to three years from existing six months. He said that one school each in Haridwar and Sitarganj would be opened on CBSE pattern on PPP mode with 50 percent reservation for the students of SC. Similar way, Engineering College and Polytechnic would be established in PPP mode with similar reservation provision. The schools run in Ashram system would have class 6 to 10 and run by Education Department. Class 1 to 5 would be abolished. Mr. Bahuguna said that camps would be organized to redress grievances of Van Gujjars in which presence of officers from all concerned departments would be mandatory. He directed the officers to ensure that pension disbursed by Social Welfare Department be directly credited in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. He instructed all the departments to furnish reports in one month on the welfare schemes undertaken by them for SC and ST and the breakdowns of the amount spent on the schemes.

 Secretary, Social Welfare MH Khan apprised that process had been started for effective execution of Chief Minister Minority Self-employment Scheme launched to improve economic condition and encourage self-employment amongst Muslim youths. He said that loan would be provided for these schemes in low interest rate (6 percent) and 25 percent grant. Approval of Rs. 4.34 crore has been received for proposals of 65 madarshas from Minority Ministry which was due since a long time.

 The meeting was attended by Social Welfare Minister Surendra Rakesh, Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain, Principal Secretary to CM DK Kotia, Principal Secretary Planning S Ramaswami, Secretary Tourism SS Sandhu and Secretary Finance Radha Raturi amongst others.