Budget 2023 earmarks Rs 15,000 crore for upliftment of particularly vulnerable tribal groups.

• Recently, Pradhan Mantri PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Development Mission was proposed in Budget 2023-24 to improve socio-economic conditions of the PVTGs.
• This will saturate PVTGs families and habitations with basic facilities like safe housing, clean drinking water, improved access to education, health etc.
• An amount of 15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Mission in the next 3 years under Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes.

About PVTGs

• The Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are a group of tribal community people 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.
• Odisha has the highest number of PVTGs in India.
• PVTG of Sahariyas has the highest population.

Brief History

• In India, tribal population makes up for 8.6% of the total population.
• In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, which are less developed among the tribal groups.
• In 2006, the Government renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Government follows the following criteria for identification of PVTGs-

• Pre-agricultural level of technology
• Low level of literacy
• Economic backwardness
• A declining or stagnant population.