Pradhan Mantri-PVTG Development Mission

(mainsGS2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.)

Context:

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Pradhan Mantri-PVTG Development Mission to focus on improving the overall socio-economic conditions of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups across the country.

About PVTGs:

In India, according to census 2011, tribal population makes up for 8.6% of the total population.
PVTGs are tribal communities who have declining or stagnant populations, low level of literacy, pre-agricultural level of technology and are economically backward.
75 such groups of tribals in 18 States and 1 Union Territory have been identified and categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Most of these groups have not attained significant level of educational, economic progress and are having low health indices. Hence, priority is accorded for their protection and improvement in terms of the social indicators like livelihood, health, nutrition and education so as to decrease their vulnerability.
In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created a separate group called Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) who are less developed among the tribal groups and in 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs.

Providing basic facilities:

The Union government was putting forward an expenditure outlay of ₹15,000 crore, making this amount available over the next three years for the implementation of this mission.
This will saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities
A major part of infrastructure development in tribal dominated areas and provision of basic amenities to tribal people in the country is carried out through various schemes / programmes of concerned Central Ministries and the State Governments.

Multi Stakeholder approach:

Among the ministries that are expected to be roped in to implement the PM-PVTG Mission are the Rural Development Ministry, through which housing component and road connectivity will be implemented.
Further, the Water Resources Ministry, under whose Jal Jeevan Mission clean drinking water connections will be taken care of, the Education Ministry which will take care of building schools and hostels; and the Health Ministry, which will look at filling gaps in healthcare for PVTGs.
In addition to this, the Women and Child Development Ministry is also going to be roped in to get Anganwadi workers on ground to work towards sensitisation of PVTGs and ensuring they are able to sign up for government benefits.

Conclusion:

The programme for the welfare of PVTGs began in the 1970s and we are still just talking about providing them basic amenities.
This means that there is an absence of a proper policy that considers their culture, practices, livelihood and other aspects of their lives for their welfare, not just lack of funds.