The recent news that several members belonging to eight different Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Odisha have succumbed to the second wave of Covid-19 has raised widespread concern. Among the infected individuals are representatives of the Bonda tribe of the Malkangiri hills and the Dongaria Kondh tribe of the Niyamgiri hills.
Overview of Tribal Groups in Odisha
The 2011 Census reveals that 9% of India’s total tribal population resides in Odisha. This equates to 22.85% of Odisha’s population. In terms of sheer numbers, Odisha ranks third in India for its tribal populace. A total of 62 tribal groups make their home in Odisha, 13 of which are recognised as PVTGs. These include Bonda, Birhor, Chuktia Bhunjia, Didayi, Dungaria Kandha, Hill Kharia, Juang, Kutia Kondh, Lanjia Saora, Lodha, Mankirdia, Paudi Bhuyan and Saora. Seven districts of Odisha – Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada – are home to these tribal populations, along with parts of six other districts.
The Emergence and Classification of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
In 1973, the Dhebar Commission established the Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a distinct category that represented the lesser developed among tribal groups. This was later renamed as PVTGs by the Government of India in 2006. In 1975, an initiative to classify the most vulnerable tribal groups led to the identification of 52 such groups, referred to as PVTGs. This list expanded in 1993 with the addition of 23 more groups, bringing the total number of PVTGs to 75 out of 705 Scheduled Tribes. Odisha happens to host the highest number of these listed PVTGs.
Distinct Characteristics of PVTGs
The classification of a tribal group as a PVTG is dependent on several factors, including their relative physical isolation, stagnant or declining population, low levels of literacy, absence of a written language, and pre-agricultural stage of economy like hunting, food gathering, shifting cultivation and terrace cultivation.
Schemes Implemented for the Upliftment of PVTGs
PVTGs, due to their vulnerability, often lose out on acquiring a significant chunk of tribal development funds due to the more developed and assertive tribal groups. Recognising this, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has put into action a scheme named “Development of PVTGs” aimed at the comprehensive socio-economic development of the 75 identified PVTGs. As per the provisions of the scheme, State Governments are allowed to submit Conservation-cum-Development (CCD) plans according to their requirements, leading to 100% grants-in-aid made accessible to States.
