Mains Marathon

• Introduce PVTGs including their status.
• Highlight some of the challenges faced by them and measures needed to improve their socio-economic status.
• Also mention some of the recent measures that have been taken for development of PVTGs.

Answer:

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are the most marginalized and isolated sections among the Scheduled Tribes in India. They are characterized by pre-agricultural level of technology, low literacy, economic backwardness and declining or stagnant population. There are 75 PVTGs spread over 17 states and one UT in India.

Some of the challenges faced by them are:

• Loss of habitat and livelihood due to deforestation, mining, dams, tourism and other development projects.
• Exploitation and displacement by outsiders such as contractors, traders, moneylenders and poachers. Example: The Dongria Kondh tribe in Odisha.
• Lack of access to basic amenities such as health, education, sanitation and drinking water. Example: The Sahariya tribe in Madhya Pradesh, faces extreme poverty and malnutrition.
• Cultural erosion and assimilation due to loss of language, customs, traditions and identity.
• Vulnerability to diseases and epidemics due to low immunity and lack of access to health facilities.
• Human rights violations such as violence, trafficking, bonded labour and sexual abuse.
• Lack of coherence in identification and survey (about tribes and their socio-economic status), Unequal Benefits of schemes are the other challenges among many.

Some of the measures to improve their socio-economic status are:

• Implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, in letter and spirit, to recognize their rights over land and resources and empower them to participate in decision making.
• Provision of adequate funds and infrastructure for the development schemes exclusively meant for PVTGs such as the Conservation-cum-Development Plan under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Promotion of community-based conservation and management of natural resources and biodiversity.
• Strengthening of health care facilities and immunization programs to prevent and treat diseases and malnutrition by better execution of welfare schemes.
• Enhancement of education facilities and quality with special focus on mother tongue instruction, vocational training and cultural preservation.
• Protection of their human rights and dignity by enforcing laws against exploitation, discrimination and violence.
• Sensitization of mainstream society and media about their culture, problems and aspirations.

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are the native dwellers of the land who have a strong bond with nature and a distinctive culture. However, their suffering and hardships on several fronts such as scarcity of resources, education, health, and rights can be improved by judicial implementation of the govt scheme and by providing them with basic amenities, opportunities, protection, and dignity.