Port Blair, July 05: In a recent visit to Car Nicobar by the Congress Leaders of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, The residents of Car Nicobar express their grievances and hardships being faced for accessing the BPL Certificate.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, New Delhi, The Andaman Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee President Mr. Rangalal Halder stated that the issuance of BPL certificates to the residents of Car Nicobar is crucial to ensure their inclusion in various government welfare schemes and programs as these certificates serve as an important document for accessing a wide range of benefits, such as subsidized food grains, healthcare services, educational scholarships, housing schemes, and other social security measures.
It was also added that a considerable number of eligible tribal individuals and families in Car Nicobar are yet to receive their BPL certificates whereas, a lack of documentation prevents them from availing themselves of the necessary support provided by the government, exacerbating their already challenging circumstances.
He has raised his concern that issuing of BPL certificates traditionally requires verification of land ownership to determine an individual or family’s economic status accurately. Whereas, In Car Nicobar, the majority of the population residing in tribal communities does not possess individual land holdings, the absence of landowner names hampers the certification process.
Moreover, the issuance of BPL certificates to the residents would not only contribute to their overall development but also align with the constitutional objective of promoting social justice and equality, ‘he added’.
Mr. Halder has further requested to expedite the process of issuing BPL certificates for the residents of Car Nicobar to have a profound impact on the lives of the tribal community members, individually providing them with a hope for a better future.
