Lok Sabha Question No. 1679 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1679

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 13/02/2023

## PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TRIBAL GROUPS

## 1679. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  new  tribal  groups  have  been  added  to  the  Particularly  Vulnerable  Tribal  Groups (PVTGs) category and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  PVTGs  have  lost  their  land  or  have  been  displaced  for  the  developmental purpose, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is running any programme for decreasing the vulnerability of these groups;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

- (a): In  1975,  52  groups  were  identified  as  the  Primitive  Tribal  Group  (PTG)  being  the  most vulnerable tribal groups  and in 1993, 23 more groups added to Primitive Tribal Group (PTG) category,   bringing  total  number  to  75.    In  2006,  PTGs  renamed  as  Particularly  Vulnerable Tribes Groups (PVTGs).  New tribal groups have not been added to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) category after 1993.
- (b): Land and its management falls under the exclusive legislative and administrative jurisdiction of States as provided under the Constitution of India [Seventh Schedule - List ii (State List) Entry No. (18)].  The data about land acquisition is not maintained at Central level. Whenever land  is  acquired  for  any  Infrastructure  project,  it  is  the  responsibility  of  the  state  to  ensure compliance  of  The  RFCTLARR  Act,  2013.   Section  4  (5)  of  the  FRA,  2006  also  provides safeguards  which  reads  that  "Save  as  otherwise  provided,  no  member  of  a  forest  dwelling Scheduled Tribe or Other Traditional Forest Dweller shall be evicted or removed from Forest Land under his occupation till the recognition and verification procedure is complete". Further, under Section 3 (r) (ii) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation  and  Resettlement  Act,  2013,  'land  owner'  includes  any  person  who  is  granted forest rights under the FRA, 2006 (2 of 2007) or under any other law for the time being in force.

(c)  & (d): Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing a Scheme 'Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)' with the objective of overall socio-economic development and welfare of these most vulnerable sections among tribal people.  Funds are provided to the concerned State Government / UT on the basis of their proposals in diverse sectors i.e. education, housing,  land  development,  agricultural  development,  animal  husbandry,  construction  of  link roads, installation of non-conventional sources of energy for lighting purpose, conservation of culture and traditional practices or any other innovative activity with respect to these identified 75 PVTG communities in the nature of gap filling intervention besides interventions undertaken by  the  States  out  of  Tribal  Sub-Plan  funds.   Further,  under  Grants  under  Article  275(1)  of Constitution, funds are given to the states for the development of tribal and tribal areas including PVTGs.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs is also implementing a flagship scheme 'Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)' to provide quality education to ST Students from class 6th to 12 th . 5% seats in each of the EMRSs is reserved for PVTG students.

Section 3(1)(e) of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest  Rights)  Act,  2006  provides  recognition  of  forest  rights  including  rights  of  habitat  and habitation for primitive tribal groups (now called the PVTGs) and pre- agricultural communities.

In the scheme of National Fellowship, 25 slots out of 750 slots are reserved for PVTG students. Under National Overseas Scholarship for ST students, 3 slots out of  20  slots are reserved  for PVTG candidate.

(e): In view of (c) & (d), it does not arise.

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