Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Scheme

News:Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing the Development of PVTGs scheme for comprehensive socio-economic development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs).

Facts:

About Development of PVTGs scheme: 

• The Scheme for Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs) is implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• It was first started in 1998-1999 for exclusive development of PVTGs and then later revised in 2015.
• The scheme aims at planning their socio-economic development in a comprehensive manner while retaining the culture and heritage of the community by adopting habitat development approach.
• Under the scheme, State Governments submits Conservation cum Development(CCD) plans on the basis of their requirement.
• The plan is then appraised and approved by the Project Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and then 100% grants-in-aid are made available to States as per the provisions of the scheme.

Additional information:

About Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group(PVTG):

• The Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs) are the marginalized section of the Scheduled tribes of India. 
• They are a section who are relatively isolated, educationally and socio-economically backward living in a habitat far away from amenities.
• In 1973, the Dhebar Commission had created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, who are less developed among the tribal groups. 
• In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs. However,they are not a Constitutional category nor are these constitutionally recognized communities.
• The criteria followed for determination of PVTGs are (a)pre-agriculture level of technology (b)stagnant or declining population (c) Extremely low literacy and d)subsistence level of economy.
• Among the 75 listed PVTG’s the highest number are found in Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh (12) and among others.