According to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 10 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) have been granted habitat rights across 14 districts in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh under The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA).
- The data was presented in the Parliament in response to a query from an MP. The FRA was enacted to protect the forest rights of Scheduled Tribes and other forest-dwelling communities.
About Habitat Rights under FRA
- As per FRA, 2006 and rules made thereunder, the responsibility for implementation of the Act lies with State Governments/UT Administrations.
- According to Section 2(h) of FRA, “Habitat includes the area comprising the customary habitat and such other habitats in reserved forests and protected forests of primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities and other forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes.
- As per habitat rights, the district collector should take cognisance of rights of the PVTGs in their district and initiate the process of habitat rights on priority basis.
PVTGs
- The Union Government has designated a total of 75 Scheduled Tribe communities as PVTGs, and recent estimates indicate that these communities reside in 19 States and Union Territories, with a total population of approximately 45.56 lakh.
(Source: TH)
