Counting PVTGs

Why in News?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has asked the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI) to separately count Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the upcoming Census.

UPSC Relevance

UPSC frequently asks questions about tribal issues in society in GS1 which mentions, Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India, Social Empowerment.

PYQ

2022 – Given the diversities among the tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category?

Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups?

The concept of PVTGs evolved over time. It is a sub group within the larger group of tribes.

• Origin: The Dhebar Commission (1961) first identified inequalities within tribal groups, which led to the creation of the category.
• Initial Name: Originally called “Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs)” in 1973. The name was changed to PVTGs in 2006 because “primitive” was considered derogatory.
• Criteria: The definition of PVTGs is based on 4 criteria under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) scheme launched in 2023.
  • Pre-agricultural level of technology.
  • Low level of literacy.
  • Economic backwardness.
  • Declining or stagnant population.
• Current Status: There are currently 75 PVTGs spread across 18 states and one Union Territory in India.
• State with most number of PVTGs – Odisha – 13 PVTGs 
• State with highest population of PVTGs – Madhya Pradesh 
• Which PVTG has the most members? – Saharias found in Madhya Pradesh 

Request to count PVTG’s separately in Census

The request from the MoTA to the RGI on July 17 is aimed at getting a detailed count of PVTGs, including:

• The number of households and individuals.
• Their distinct cultural, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics.

This is a significant move because it’s the 1st time PVTGs would be counted separately since the category was created.

Goal

• This separate enumeration is intended to help the government formulate targeted policies for the uplift and redress of these marginalized groups.

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI) 

• It is a permanent office under the Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for a number of crucial functions that have a significant impact on India’s governance and policy.
• The primary role of the RGI is to conduct the decennial Census of India.

Multifaceted Challenges faced by PVTG’s

Health and Nutritional Challenges

• PVTGs suffer from poor health and nutrition, largely due to a lack of access to basic healthcare, sanitation, and clean drinking water.
• Their remote locations make it difficult for government health services and professionals to reach them. 
• Many communities still rely on traditional healthcare practices, which may not be effective against modern diseases.
• Malnutrition is a severe problem, especially among pregnant women and young children.
  • A study on the Kutia Kandha tribe in Odisha, for example, found that 70.54% of adolescents had moderate anemia, and 21.09% had severe anemia.
• Due to poor sanitation and a lack of health education, PVTGs have a high incidence of infectious diseases, gastrointestinal issues, and micronutrient deficiencies.

Educational Challenges

• Low Literacy Rates: The literacy rate among PVTGs is significantly lower than the national average.
  • For instance, the literacy rate of the Mankirdia tribe in Odisha is only 21.14%, and this is even lower for women.
• Language and Cultural Barriers: The curriculum and medium of instruction in government schools often don’t align with the local dialects and cultural practices of these groups, making it difficult for children to learn.
• High Dropout Rates: Many children, particularly girls, drop out of school to help with household chores or to earn a livelihood.

Economic Challenges

• Livelihood Issues: The traditional way of life for PVTGs, which often involves hunting and gathering, is being threatened by a variety of external factors, leading to economic marginalization. Shrinking forests and changes in environmental laws have impacted their ability to collect non-timber forest produce. This has forced some to become laborers, where they are often exploited by middlemen and do not receive fair wages. 
• Land and Displacement: PVTGs have faced systematic displacement from their traditional lands due to developmental projects like dams, mining, and the creation of reserved forest areas.
  • For example, some Baiga families were forced out of the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

Legal Procedural Challenges

• Need for Redefinition: The existing criteria for defining PVTGs are decades old and may not be accurate today due to changing ground realities.
  • For example, some communities now use more advanced technology, which might exclude them from the “pre-agricultural technology” criterion.
• Lack of Data: A major challenge is the lack of precise data on PVTGs. The 2011 census, for instance, didn’t collect data on all 75 PVTGs separately, making it difficult to formulate effective, targeted welfare schemes.

PM-JANMAN – 2023

• Target Group: The scheme is exclusively for the 75 PVTG communities living in 18 states and one Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Mission: It aims to provide basic facilities and services to PVTG households and habitations to improve their quality of life and bring them into the mainstream.
• Key Focus Areas: The mission focuses on 11 critical interventions, implemented by nine different ministries, covering:
  • Housing: A significant number of houses have been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) with the objective of providing safe housing to PVTG families. As of July 2025, over 1.36 lakh houses have been completed.
  • Connectivity: Projects are underway to construct roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and to install mobile towers to improve road and telecom connectivity in remote PVTG habitations.
  • Health: The scheme includes the deployment of Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) to provide primary healthcare services to these communities. As of June 2025, 694 MMUs were operational.
  • Electrification: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is providing solar power systems for households and Multi-Purpose Centres (MPCs) where grid electricity is not feasible. The target is to provide solar lighting for 100,000 households and 1,500 MPCs.
  • Livelihood: The scheme supports the establishment of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) to promote economic empowerment through value addition and marketing of forest produce.

• Budgetary Outlay: The total outlay for PM-JANMAN is ₹24,104 crore for a three-year period, from 2023-24 to 2025-26. This includes a central share of ₹15,336 crore and a state share of ₹8,768 crore.
• Implementation: The scheme is a combination of Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Its implementation is a coordinated effort between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, nine other ministries, and the respective state governments.
• Data Collection: A crucial step in the scheme is the use of the PM Gati Shakti mobile application to conduct a habitation-level data collection exercise. This is to accurately identify PVTG habitations and infrastructure gaps, ensuring the right beneficiaries are reached.

A careful approach for identifying and addressing the needs of these groups is necessary for their social inclusion, not assimilation. Therefore, the recent step is in the right direction.