Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

Introduction

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are the most vulnerable section among the Scheduled Tribes in India. These communities are characterised by:

• low literacy
• economic backwardness
• pre-agricultural level of technology
• stagnant or declining population
• subsistence-level economy.

Initially, these groups were known as:

• Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs)

The category was identified during:

• Fifth Five-Year Plan (1974–79)

Later, the nomenclature was changed to:

• Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

in:

• 2006

India currently has:

• 75 PVTGs

distributed across:

• 18 States
• 1 Union Territory — Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Distribution of PVTGs in India

PM-JANMAN

Introduction

The:

• Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)

is a major welfare initiative aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of PVTGs through saturation-based delivery of essential services and infrastructure.The programme focuses on:

• housing
• drinking water
• education
• healthcare
• sanitation
• road connectivity
• electrification
• communication infrastructure
• livelihood generation.

Institutional Coordination under PM-JANMAN

The programme is implemented through coordinated efforts of:

• 8 Union Ministries

These include:

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• Ministry of Rural Development
• Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Women and Child Development
• Ministry of Power
• Ministry of Communications

Gujarat and PM-JANMAN

Gujarat’s Performance

Gujarat secured:

• top position in July rankings

under:

• PM-JANMAN

due to extensive implementation of welfare and infrastructure initiatives for PVTGs.

PVTGs in Gujarat

Gujarat is home to five recognised PVTGs:

• Kathodi
• Kotwalia
• Padhar
• Siddi
• Kolgha

Karnataka and PM-JANMAN

The PM-JANMAN programme has been extended to cover:

• Jenu Kuruba
• Koraga

communities of Karnataka.Both communities are recognised as:

• PVTGs

PVTG Population in Karnataka

The communities are spread across:

• Mysuru
• Chamarajanagar
• Kodagu
• Udupi
• Dakshina Kannada

PVTGs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Indigenous Tribes Mentioned

During the visit to the:

• Zonal Anthropological Museum, Port Blair

information relating to indigenous tribes of the Islands was reviewed.The article mentions six native tribes inhabiting the Islands.

Visit to Dugong Creek

Union Tribal Affairs Minister:

• Shri Arjun Munda

visited:

• Dugong Creek
  in:
• Little Andaman Island

to interact with the:

• Onge PVTG community

Mann Ki Baat and Tribal Outreach

Significance

According to the article:

• Mann Ki Baat

commenced on:

• Vijayadashami, October 2014

Themes Highlighted in the 100th Episode

The Prime Minister revisited several important themes, including:

• Selfie with Daughter
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
• Swachh Bharat Mission
• Khadi promotion
• Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
• Amrit Sarovar
• environmental awareness
• community participation

Union Tribal Affairs Minister:

• Shri Arjun Munda

participated in the listening session of the:

• 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat

along with PVTGs and tribal communities in:

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Renaming of Islands

Dongria Kondh Community

The:

• Dongria Kondh

are recognised as a:

• Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)

They inhabit:

• Niyamgiri hills
  in:
• Odisha.

The community has historically been associated with:

• forest-based livelihoods
• hill agriculture
• strong ecological traditions
• cultural identity linked with forests.

The Dongria Kondh gained national attention during opposition to:

• bauxite mining
  in:
• Niyamgiri hills.

Educational Empowerment of PVTGs

A significant milestone emerged from:

• Jharkhand

where:

• Rashmi Birhor

became the:

• first graduate from the Birhor community

Her achievement drew attention from:

• Rashtrapati Bhavan

and President:

• Droupadi Murmu

interacted with her during a visit to Ranchi.

PVTGs in Bihar

PVTGs Covered under Welfare Initiatives

The following communities were identified:

• Asur
• Birhor
• Birajiya
• Hilkhariya
• Korwa
• Malpaharia
• Parhaiya
• Suryapahadia
• Sawar

PVTGs Mentioned in Jharkhand

The following PVTGs were mentioned:

• Asur
• Birhor
• Birjia
• Korwa
• Mal Paharia
• Pahariya
• Sauria Paharia
• Baiga
• Savar

Maharashtra and PVTGs

Major PVTGs in Maharashtra

Vidarbha and PVTGs

A survey conducted under:

• PM-JANMAN

revealed that:

• Vidarbha region accounts for more than 40% of Maharashtra’s PVTG population

The survey highlighted the concentration of PVTGs in districts such as:

• Gadchiroli
• Yavatmal
• Chandrapur
• Wardha
• Amravati

Electoral Participation of PVTGs

Odisha: Mayurbhanj Milestone

Mayurbhanj district in Odisha recorded:

• 98.61% voter turnout among PVTGs
  during:
• General Elections 2024

The achievement reflected successful implementation of:

• SVEEP
  (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation)

initiatives by the district administration.Key measures included:

• PVTG-specific polling booths
• awareness drives in tribal languages
• voter registration campaigns
• local-language outreach programmes.