About PVTGs

• 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.

1. A pre-agriculture level of technology;
2. A stagnant or declining population;
3. Extremely low literacy; and
4. A subsistence level of economy.

Livelihood

• • 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).

• 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. 

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the Scheme of “Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)” exclusively for them.
• The scheme aims at planning their socio-economic development in a comprehensive manner while retaining the culture and heritage of the communities by adopting habitat level development approach.

Statewise PVTGs