Jharkhand government to form separate cell for Primitive Tribes Group

Primitive Tribes Group (PTG)

Particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) (earlier known as Primitive tribal group) is a government of India classification created with the purpose of enabling improvement in the conditions of certain communities with particularly low development indices.

In 2006 the government of India proposed to rename "Primitive tribal group" as particularly vulnerable tribal group". PTG has since been renamed particularly vulnerable tribal group by the government of India.

How it was identified and when happened?

The Dhebar Commission (1960-1961) stated that within Scheduled Tribes there existed an inequality in the rate of development. During the fourth Five Year Plan a sub-category was created within Scheduled Tribes to identify groups that considered being at a lower level of development.

This was created based on the Dhebar Commission report and other studies. This sub-category was named "Primitive tribal group".

The features of such a group include a pre-agricultural system of existence that is practice of hunting and gathering, zero or negative population growth, extremely low level of literacy in comparison with other tribal groups.

At present, India houses 75 communities of Primitive Tribal Group. PTGs in Jharkhand (including Bihar) are Asurs, Birhor, Birjia, Hill Kharia, Korwas, Mal Paharia, Parhaiyas, Sauria Paharia, and Savar.