New mission for welfare of PVTGs launched
- Union Finance Minister recently announced a mission for the welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the 2023-24 Union Budget.
Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission
- The mission will be launched as part of ‘Reaching The Last Mile’, one of the seven Saptarishi priorities enlisted in this year’s Budget.
- The mission will saturate the particularly vulnerable tribal groups with safe housing, clean drinking water, education, nutrition, road and telecom connection and livelihood.
- A Budget of Rs 15,000 crore will be dedicated to this mission in the next three years.
- The scheme will benefit 3.5 lakh tribals.
Saptarishi priorities (seven priorities) enlisted in the 2023-24 budget:
- Inclusive Development
- Reaching the Last Mile
- Infrastructure and Investment
- Unleashing the Potential
- Green Growth
- Youth Power
- Financial Sector
Who are PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) ?
- PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups who are in need of greater support and development.
- Out of the 705 Scheduled Tribes in India, 75 have been identified as PVTGs and are spread across 17 states and one Union Territory.
- Government of India follows the following criteria for identification of PVTGs
- Pre-agricultural level of technology
- Low level of literacy
- Economic backwardness
- A declining or stagnant population.
- In 1975, the Government of India initiated to identify the most vulnerable tribal groups as a separate category called PVTGs and declared 52 such groups.
- An additional 23 groups were added to the category in 1993.
- Examples: Cholanaikayan (Kerala), Kathodi (Gujarat), Jarawas (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Koraga (Karnataka)
Prelims Take Away
- PVGTs
- NCST
- Saptrishi Priorities