Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

In India, tribal population makes up for 8.6% of the total population. Tribal people live in about 15% of the geographical area of the country.
Among them some groups are declared as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) based on the following criteria.
- A pre-agriculture level of technology;
- A stagnant or declining population;
- Extremely low literacy; and
- A subsistence level of economy.

In 1973, the Dhebar Commission 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 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
75 tribal groups have been categorized by the Ministry of Home Affairs as PVTGs.
PVTGs reside in 18 States and UT of A&N Islands.
Among the 75 listed PVTG’s the highest number are found in Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh (12).
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the Scheme of “Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)” exclusively for them.
PVTGs depend on various livelihoods such as food gathering, Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), hunting, livestock rearing, shifting cultivation and artisan works. Most of their livelihoods depend on the forest.

State / UT Name	PVTGs Name
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana	1.Bodo Gadaba 2.Bondo Poroja 3.Chenchu 4.Dongria Khond 5.Gutob Gadaba 6.Khond Poroja 7.Kolam 8.Kondareddis 9.Konda Savaras 10.Kutia Khond 11.Parengi Poroja l2.Thoti
Bihar and Jharkhand	13.Asurs 14.Birhor 15.Birjia 16.Hill Kharia 17.Konvas 18.Mal Paharia 19.Parhaiyas 20.Sauda Paharia 21.Savar
Jharkhand	Same as above
Gujarat	22.Kathodi 23.Kohvalia 24.Padhar 25.Siddi 26.Kolgha
Karnataka	27. Jenu Kuruba 28. Koraga
Kerala	29.Cholanaikayan (a section of Kattunaickans) 30.Kadar 31.Kattunayakan 32.Kurumbas 33.Koraga
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh	34.Abujh Macias 35.Baigas 36.Bharias 37.Hill Korbas 38.Kamars 39.Saharias 40.Birhor
Chhattisgarh	Same as above
Maharashtra	41.Katkaria (Kathodia) 42.Kolam 43.Maria Gond
Manipur	44. Marram Nagas
Odisha	45.Birhor 46.Bondo 47.Didayi 48.Dongria-Khond 49.Juangs 50.Kharias 51.Kutia Kondh 52.Lanjia Sauras 53.Lodhas 54.Mankidias 55.Paudi Bhuyans 56.Soura 57.Chuktia Bhunjia
Rajasthan	58.Seharias
Tamil Nadu	59.Kattu Nayakans 60.Kotas 61.Kurumbas 62.Irulas 63.Paniyans 64.Todas
Tripura	65.Reangs
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand	66.Buxas 67.Rajis
West Bengal	68.Birhor 69.Lodhas 70.Totos
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	71.Great Andamanese 72.Jarawas 73.Onges 74.Sentinelese 75.Shorn Pens

The COVID-19 situation appears to have worsened in certain areas inhabited by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Odisha.
As many as 23 persons belonging to the Dongria-Khond community, a PVTG in the Niyamgiri Hill range of Rayagada district in Odisha, have tested positive for COVID-19. The district administration said the infection level was high in the community as the tribals were shying away from getting tested.
Similarly, in Malkangiri district, Bondo Hill, home to the Bondo community, another PVTG, has been declared as a containment zone after 12 from the tribe tested positive for COVID-19.
The infections detected among the PVTGs in the second wave of COVID-19 has rung alarm bells in the administration.

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