Question : DEVELOPMENT OF PTGS

(a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment to find out number of Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) in the country and their miserable condition if so, the details thereof, nsme tud State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Goverar^er-1. has launched any scheme for the overall development of PTGs in the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) the funds sanctioned, released and utilised by the State Governments during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and

(e) the mechanism adopted to monitor the utilisation of funds by the States under the said scheme and to fix responsibilities in case of irregularities?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAIVASAVA)

(a): No assessment has been conducted recently to fmd out the number of Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) and their miserable condition. However, at present there are 75 tribal groups identified and categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs), (earlier known as Primitive Tribal Groups). The State/UT wise names of PVTGs are at Annex-I.

(b; & (c): The Ministry irsplsmems a Central Sector Scheme known as `Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)` under which the Ministry provides 100% financial assistance through State Governments as well as Non-Govemmental Organizations for activities including housing, land distribution and land development, agricultural development, cattle development, construction of link roads, installation of non-conventional sources of energy or other innovative activity, for the comprehensive socio-economic development of PVTGs, based on Conservation-cum-Deve!opment (CCD) Plan prepared by the concerned State Governments on the basis of assessment of their requirements.

(d): The details of funds sanctioned, released and utilised by the State Governments during each of the last three years and the current year under this scheme are at Annex-II.

(e): State Governments aie primarily responsible for implementation and monitoring of the scheme at various levels. The Ministry also conducts secondary level of txionitering through analyzing cf annual progress reports, utilization certificates and mid¬term review reports received from State Govemment/UTs and field visits by officers of the Ministry.