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3 min readNew DelhiFeb 22, 2026 04:03 AM IST
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs wrote to state governments recently, asking them to firm up preparations for the survey rollout. As per the Centre’s timelines, states were to identify district and block teams by early this month, and be field-ready by early-to-middle of March.
THE CENTRE has urged the states to complete by April-end the first-of-its-kind household survey of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), which has been planned to capture last-mile data on delivery of an array of central and state schemes, The Indian Express has learnt.
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The aim of this survey is to plug any gaps in saturation of PVTG households under targeted central and state welfare schemes, and hand out entitlement cards at the end of it.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs wrote to state governments recently, asking them to firm up preparations for the survey rollout. As per the Centre’s timelines, states were to identify district and block teams by early this month, and be field-ready by early-to-middle of March. The Ministry will provide financial assistance for the survey based on a per household basis amount.
Through this app-based data collection, the Centre will seek to create a digital database on the entitlements that PVTG households have received or are yet to receive. “We will issue entitlement cards listing out the welfare benefits that have reached or yet to reach households and individuals. This will include, for instance, the status of old age pension benefits, assistance for persons with disabilities, Ayushman cards, among others,” said an official aware of developments.
Details of an estimated 12.35 lakh PVTG households and individuals are to be captured using a special application developed by the National e-Governance Division. There are 75 PVTGs across 18 states and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. PVTG status is accorded to Scheduled Tribes which have a declining or stagnant population, live in geographical isolation, practice pre-agrarian practices such as hunting and gathering and have low literacy levels.
The survey also comes at a time when the Tribal Affairs Ministry has asked the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to consider including PVTGs in the upcoming national census exercise.
The Centre is currently implementing its flagship Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, which was launched in November 2023, with an outlay of Rs 24,104 crore. Eleven key interventions are being implemented through nine-line ministries. The scheme was introduced after discontinuing the Development of PVTGs scheme. These interventions include construction of rural roads, provision of piped water supply, electrification till last mile, construction of pucca houses and installation of mobile towers.
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An earlier habitation-level survey carried out by the Centre had estimated that there were 47.5 lakh PVTGs across India, with the highest 13.22 lakh in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra with an estimated population of 6.7 lakh, and Andhra Pradesh with 5.18 lakh PVTGs.
An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
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