Prime Minister-Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM-PVTG) Development Mission

17.11.2023

Prime Minister-Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM-PVTG) Development Mission , Daily Current Affairs , RACE IAS : Best IAS Coaching in Lucknow 

Why in news:

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the program organized to commemorate Tribal Pride Day, 2023 in Khunti, Jharkhand.
• During the event, the Prime Minister also launched a first-of-its-kind initiative – ‘Prime Minister Special Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Development Mission’.

Important points:

• PM-PVTG Vikas Mission was launched by the Prime Minister on the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda (which is celebrated as Tribal Pride Day) to empower the tribals.
• In the budget for the financial year 2023-24, the Prime Minister had announced the launch of PVTG Development Mission.

About PM-PVTG Vikas Mission:

• A Rs 24,000 crore government scheme for the development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The objective of this project is to develop PVTG.
• It is designed to bring critical infrastructure such as electricity, water, road connectivity, housing, education and health care to PVTG communities living in remote villages.
• Under the scheme, around 11 schemes like PM-Gram Sadak Yojana, PM-Gram Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission and others will be implemented in collaboration with nine ministries.
• Apart from this, saturation will be ensured for schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Sickle Cell Disease Eradication, TB Eradication, 100 percent vaccination, PM Surakshit Matritva Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, PM Poshan and PM Jan Dhan Yojana.

Facilities will be provided under PM-PVTG Development Mission:

• Road and telephone connectivity in PVTG area,
• Power,
• safe house,
• clean drinking water,
• Cleaning,
• Education,
• Health,
• better access to nutrition
• Living opportunities etc.

Regarding Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs):

• PVTGs are one of the more vulnerable groups among tribal groups in India.
• These groups have primitive characteristics, geographical isolation, low literacy, zero to negative population growth rates and backwardness.
• Furthermore, they depend largely on hunting for food and pre-agricultural level technology.
• PVTGs also collect non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as honey, gum, bamboo and wax for consumption as well as sale.
• Due to their food habits, these tribes often suffer from diseases like anemia, malaria, gastrointestinal disorders and skin infections.
• In 1973, the Dhebar Commission established a separate category for Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs).
• In 1975, 52 tribal groups were recorded as PTGs by the Central Government. After which 23 more groups were added to this list in 1993.
• Later, in 2006, these groups were named PVTGs.

Number of PVTGs :

• Currently, India has 2.8 million (28 lakh) PVTGs belonging to 75 tribes in 22,544 villages in 220 districts across 18 states and union territories.
• As per 2011 census, PVTG has the largest population in Odisha at 866,000.
• It is followed by Madhya Pradesh with 609,000 and Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana) with 539,000.
• The largest PVTG is the Saura community of Odisha, numbering 535,000.

Determination of PVTGs:

There are following criteria for its determination.

• Early-farm level technology.
• Stagnant or declining population.
• Very low literacy.
• Subsistence level economy.