PAGAAM writes to revenue department regarding fake certification matter

PAGAAM writes to revenue department regarding fake certification matter

Harshabab Sidhu
Nabaz-e-Punjab, Mohali, November 17:
The Association of Punjab Revenue Officers has written to the Additional Secretary of the Punjab Revenue Department requesting that no action should be taken against the concerned Revenue Officer in the cases of fake Scheduled Caste Certificates as they were issued only after obtaining the full report. They said if the Sarpanch and Patwari recommends for verification, then they have to issue the certificate hence was not their fault. It may be mentioned that many SC certificates were found to be fake in Punjab and many people belong to the general category were found doing jobs with these certificates. Pushpinder Kaur who has retired from Government service from Lecturer Ludhiana, Sarpanch Harchand Singh of Alampur village in Patiala, Panch Sukhbir Singh, SDU of PWD Manjit Singh, Principal Ravneet Kaur Jaswant Singh, MBBS student Ravneet Kaur’s caste certificate have been found to be fake due to the efforts of PAGAAM and the government is taking action in these cases. In Punjabi University also, various employees are doing jobs with fake caste certificates and VC has started the process to take action, they added.
They said PAGAAM has written to the government several times to amend the SC Act 2006 but no response has been received from the government so far.
PAGAAM has taken serious note of this letter from the revenue officers. To be in a responsible government position is to say that the certificates issued in good faith are the same as saying that someone has committed a murder and said that it is not my fault as he was asked to do the same, they said.
Retired IAS officer and in charge of PAGAAM SR Ladhar said that it was unfortunate that this letter was written.
SR Ladhar added that the Revenue Officers are the backbone of the Government and he see this weakening of this bone as a major alarm bell for the future of Punjab. He said they must properly read the guidelines issued by government on March 19, 2019, in this regard through which the Central Government has issued instructions to the State Government to ensure strict action against the officials who have issued fake certificates.