Government revises scheme for Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has revised Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) with an effect from 1 April, 2015. The scheme aims for the comprehensive socio-economic development of PVTGs. The development will be based on Conservation-cum-Development (CCD) Plan prepared on the basis of assessment of their requirements by the concerned State Governments. Under the Scheme, priority has been accorded for the protection of PVTGs and their improvement in terms of the social indicators like education, health, nutrition and livelihood in order to decrease their vulnerability. Development of PVTG was Central Sector scheme but after revival Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs Ministry will provide 100% financial assistance to these tribal groups through the State Governments. Financial assistance under this scheme will be utilized for activities like housing, agricultural development, land distribution and land development, animal husbandry, installation of non-conventional sources of energy, construction of link roads or other innovative activity. Presently, there are 75 tribal groups identified and categorized as PVTGs (earlier it was known as Primitive Tribal Groups). They are spread across 15 states /UTs viz. Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand,Uttar Pradesh, West-Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.