Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department is working on steps to simplify administrative procedures for issuing certain commonly sought certificates, including caste, income and residence certificates.
Such documents are required for accessing government welfare schemes and for admissions and employment. People typically approach the Revenue Department for certificates such as income, residence, community (caste), first marriage, first graduate and legal heir certificates.
At present, applications submitted through e-Sevai centres move through a three-tier verification process—Village Administrative Officer (VAO), Revenue Inspector and then the headquarters Deputy Tahsildar or Tahsildar. Officials noted that this layered system was designed around conditions prevailing about five decades ago.
A Revenue Department official said the department is examining changes suited to current circumstances. For some certificates—such as non-SC/ST community certificates, income, residence, first marriage and first graduate certificates—the department is considering avoiding the Revenue Inspector’s involvement.
If applications, after VAO verification, are routed directly to the headquarters Deputy Tahsildar, certificates could be issued faster, the official said. The department is also defining which certificates will still require Revenue Inspector scrutiny, aiming to reduce workload and improve turnaround time for the public.
