Directions Issued at the 52nd Meeting of the Maharashtra State Tribal Advisory Council
Mumbai, July 2: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed officials to modernize the Scheduled Tribe (ST) caste validity verification process using blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to make it more transparent, secure, efficient, and citizen-friendly.
Chairing the 52nd meeting of the Maharashtra State Tribal Advisory Council at the Vidhan Bhavan, the Chief Minister said the entire caste verification process should be made fully online. He instructed officials to develop a secure blockchain-based digital verification system for caste validity certificates and use AI to detect duplicate applications, conduct preliminary scrutiny of documents, and improve the overall verification process.
Fadnavis also directed the Tribal Development, Forest, and Revenue Departments to jointly organize special camps for the Pardhi community to facilitate the issuance of essential certificates. He asked the Finance Department to coordinate with the Tribal Development Department to ensure adequate allocation of funds for the Tribal Sub-Plan in proportion to the Scheduled Tribe population.
The Chief Minister called for a review of the income eligibility criteria for educational and welfare schemes to enable more tribal students to benefit, suggesting that the annual income limit be raised to ₹4 lakh. He also stressed expediting amendments to the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Verification Act, filling vacant posts in the Tribal Development Department, appointing special legal experts for court cases, and strengthening administrative efficiency.
Reviewing the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, Fadnavis emphasized mission-mode initiatives for forest conservation and the economic empowerment of tribal communities. He directed officials to ensure that local tribal communities receive priority in fisheries activities in dam areas and other new livelihood schemes. He also asked the Tribal Development and Rural Development Departments to review policies related to Gram Sabha rights over minor forest produce such as bamboo, tendu leaves, and apta leaves.
The Chief Minister underscored the need for better coordination among departments to ensure the timely implementation of pending issues, fill vacancies, strengthen monitoring mechanisms, and ensure that tribal citizens receive the benefits of government schemes through transparent, technology-driven governance.
