Kolkata
The Anthropological Survey of India (ANSI) has welcomed the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Vikas Mission in the Union Budget for the financial year 2023-24. But it pointed out that development should be community specific and a one size fits all approach may not work for PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups), some of whom still live in isolation.
Describing the budget provisions for PVTGs as a ‘great initiative’, ANSI Joint Director M. Sasikumar said the central government should look for a PVTG specific approach.
The budget also announced Rs 15,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri PVTG Vikas Mission over the next three years as a development action plan for Scheduled Tribes.
“There are 75 PVTGs in the country and for one tribe – the Sentinelese – who live in isolation on North Sentinel Island, the PVTG development mission may not work,” said Dr Sasikumar. Members of the tribe have little to no contact with the outside world and experts such as Dr Sasikumar describe the administration’s approach to the Sentinelese as “hands off, eyes on”. It may also be recalled that John Allen Chau, a US citizen, was allegedly killed by Sentinels on North Sentinel Island in November 2018 when he broke the ban and entered the island.
The anthropologist pointed out that the experts have come in contact with other tribes of the Andaman Islands such as the Jarawas, the Shomps and the Great Andamanese. “We have not started any accommodation for them, but the provisions made in the budget will give a new direction to the sector, said Dr Sasikumar.
The budget document states that the mission will “enable PVTG households and settlements with basic amenities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities”.
He explained that PVTGs are the most vulnerable of tribal communities and that many tribes have stable and in some cases declining populations. Dr Sasikumar said that the population of Sentinelese could be around 50-100, Ongis around 112, Great Andamanese around 60, Shompens around 250 and Jarawas around 380.
ANSI is the organization which has done extensive research on PVTGs and in 2017 it came out with a detailed publication titled Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups India – Privileges and Predicaments, which includes details of all 75 PVTGs.
In response to a question in Parliament in December 2019, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had informed that the population in PVTGs was around 1.70 crore as per the 2011 census. Odisha, which has the largest tribal population in the country, is home to 13 PVTGs. There is also huge variation in population with some PVTGs having a population in the hundreds, but some such as Reang in Tripura and Irular in Tamil Nadu having a population of around 1.8 million according to the 2011 census.