Answer:

In 2006 the government proposed to rename the Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). In 1960-61 the Dhebar Commission mentioned the sub-category Tribal groups as Primitive Tribal Groups who are characterised by:

i. Pre-agricultural technology

ii. Stagnant and declining population

iii. Extremely low literacy

iv. Subsistence level of economy

Tribal groups that satisfied any one of the criterion were considered as PTGs and later PVTGs. Vulnerabilty of the PVTGs can be primarily attributed to loss of their traditional livelihood, habitats and customary resource rights.

At present there are 75 tribal groups identified and categorized as PVTGS, located in the States/UT of AP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, MP, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, TN, Tripura, UP, Uttarakhand, West-Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Birjia, Greater Andamanese, Onge and Jarawas etc. are some of the examples of PVTGS with population less than 1000.

Denotified tribes were, during the British era, notified as criminal tribes under the Criminal Tribes Act. The notification was repealed in 1952, ever since they are termed as Denotified tribes. These groups are officially marked as the “Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes” (DNTs). Even after independence members of these communities were stigmatised due to the application Habitual Offenders Acts. The criminal label closed the doors to regular employment, and DNT communities remained socially and economically far behind most other Indian communities. Balkrishna Renke Commission was constituted in 2008 to look in to the issues related to these communities.

Thus it can be observed that PTVGS are different from DNTS as:

♤ Unlike the PTVGS, DNTs are not simply a subcategory of Scheduled Tribes, some are also listed as “Scheduled Castes.” While others are listed in the, “Other Backward Classes” or OBCs. Some are outside the ambit of these classifications as well.

♤ The DNTs are largely landless, nomadic people– although today some are settled.

♤ DNTs were subject to special persecution under both British Colonial rule and afterwards due to specific legal provisions.