Why in news?
A recent Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) publication has brought to the fore startling revelations about the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the country.
What the finding has revealed?
- The publication provides one of the most detailed descriptions of PVTGs with each of the tribes being discussed in separate chapters.
- The findings revealed that, for the 75 PVTGs, base line surveys exists only for about 40 groups.
- Base line surveys are done to precisely identify the PVTG families, their habitat and socio-economic status, so that development initiatives are implemented for these communities, based on the facts and figures.
- It emphasizes State govts must urgently conduct such surveys to arrive at accurate demographic and socio-economic figures of the PVTGs.
- Among the 75 listed PVTG’s the highest number are found in Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh (12).
- All the 4 tribal groups in Andamans, and 1 in Nicobar Islands, are recognised as PVTGs.
- The publication also points out that the PVTG list requires revising and refinement to avoid overlapping and repetition.
- Regional and State-specific variations in welfare schemes for PVTGs has also been highlighted.
- There is a huge variation in the number of PVTGs ranging from a few individuals as in case of Great Andamanese to about a little more than a thousand people as in the case of Toda of Nilgiris.
- Although PVTGs are slowly witnessing decadal increase in their population, quite a few still face stagnation such as the Birhor in central India. Some are declining like the Onge and Andamanese.
- Smallest population size among the PVTGs are the Senteneles (as per the last contact effort on 2005, groups of 32 and 13 persons were sighted at different places).
- The Great Andamanese (57 persons) and the Onge (107 persons in 2012 as per Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti) are also dwindling.
- The Saharia people of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are the largest among the PVTGs with population more than 4 lakhs.
- Literacy rate among the PVTGs has gone up significantly over the past from single digit to 30 to 40 % in many of the PVTGs.
- However, as is the case with entire India, female literacy rate is still considerably lower compared to male counterpart.
- There is a considerable increase in the age of marriage among PVTGs.
- The incidence of girl child being married while still being a minor, among these tribes has been decreasing.
Source: The Hindu