The Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka announced on Monday, 20 July 2026 that the state government has launched a special campaign to deliver caste and permanent residence certificates directly to citizens' homes, eliminating the need for repeated office visits. The initiative was inaugurated at the Conference Hall of Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, in the presence of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwara.

Context

The post states — 'ಕಚೇರಿ ಅಲೆದಾಟ ತಪ್ಪಿತು; ಜಾತಿ, ನಿವಾಸಿ ಪ್ರಮಾಣಪತ್ರ ಮನೆ ಬಾಗಿಲಿಗೆ ಬಂತು!' — meaning 'No more running to offices; caste and residence certificates have come to your doorstep!' The Revenue Department is leading the drive, under which a total of 4.85 crore digital caste certificates have been sorted village-wise and shared with district collectors in PDF format for printing and home delivery. Alongside physical delivery, a dedicated portal has been set up at nadakacheri.karnataka.gov.in for free downloads, with free printing assistance centres established at every hobli (sub-taluk) level.

The announcement also notes that approximately 85 lakh caste certificates have already been linked to mobile numbers, enabling citizens to receive a direct download link via WhatsApp or SMS. The permanent residence certificate service has simultaneously been launched under a uniform, transparent, and legally compliant framework across the state.

Policy Backdrop

Karnataka has a well-established track record of digitising citizen services. The state enacted the Sakala Services Act in 2011, which mandates time-bound delivery of public services including certificates. The Nadakacheri platform, operational since the mid-2010s, has been the primary digital channel for caste, income, and other revenue certificates. This latest campaign extends that infrastructure to active doorstep delivery — moving from 'available online' to 'delivered at home.'

The approach echoes earlier initiatives such as the Bhoomi land records digitisation programme and aligns with the national Digital India framework that multiple states have adopted to reduce bureaucratic friction and curb rent-seeking at service delivery points.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are rural households and first-generation certificate applicants who historically faced multiple trips to taluk offices, often losing daily wages in the process. Caste certificates are mandatory for accessing reservations in education and employment, welfare scheme benefits, and several government programmes — making their timely availability a material economic issue for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and Other Backward Class communities.

Citizens who wish to apply for the permanent residence certificate can do so through the nearest Nadakacheri, Gram One, Karnataka One, Bengaluru One, or Bapuji Seva Kendra centres, or online at the official portal ajsk.karnataka.gov.in. The multi-channel approach is intended to ensure no segment of the population is excluded due to digital access constraints.

What's Next

The government's stated goal is statewide coverage through district collectors coordinating printed certificate delivery to every household. Observers will watch for district-level rollout metrics to assess whether the campaign reaches its targets, particularly in remote taluks with limited administrative capacity. Any legislative amendments to formalise the permanent residence certificate framework will also be a key marker of the programme's long-term durability.