CAG Report Reveals Serious Flaws in Odisha's PVTG Schemes

A recent audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has highlighted serious gaps in the implementation of welfare schemes for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Odisha.The report reveals that over half of the eligible PVTG population did not receive benefits under targeted schemes, raising concerns about governance and last-mile delivery.The audit, tabled in the Odisha Assembly, scrutinised the ST and SC Development Department, and schemes like the Odisha PVTG Empowerment and Livelihood Improvement Programme.The findings assume importance in the context of recent initiatives like PM JANMAN, which aim to improve the socio-economic conditions of PVTGs but depend heavily on effective identification and delivery mechanisms.

Key Findings of the CAG

¨  Exclusion of Beneficiaries: The audit found that about 54% (around 160,000 out of Odisha’s total PVTG population of 294,000) of the PVTG population were not covered under major welfare schemes.

¨   Non-Coverage of Newly Identified Villages: A baseline exercise identified 1,138 new PVTG villages, yet welfare programmes were implemented in only 541 villages, covering 1.34 lakh people.

¨   This exclusion was linked to the non-operationalisation of newly created Micro Project Agencies (MPAs), which were meant to extend coverage to these areas.

Defunct Infrastructure and Poor Asset Creation: A significant proportion of development assets were found to be non-functional:

¨     55% of drinking water projects and 58% of irrigation projects were defunct.

¨  46% of livelihood-related processing units were non-operational despite substantial investments.

¨   Basic Services Deficit in Excluded Households: Among excluded PVTG households, access to basic amenities was extremely limited, as only about 18% had access to safe drinking water, and around 34% had LPG connectivity.

¨     MGNREGS Failure: MGNREGS provided the mandated 100 days of work to just 10% of PVTG households. 1.22 lakh households got no work but were denied unemployment allowances.

¨   Failure in Addressing Child Marriage: The late marriage incentive programme covered only 43% of villages between 2019 and 2024, indicating weak implementation.

PVTGs

¨   Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are a distinct sub-category within the Scheduled Tribes (STs), identified as the most marginalized and disadvantaged among them.

¨   They are marked by stagnant or declining population, pre-agrarian level of technology (hunting, gathering, shifting cultivation), economic backwardness, geographical isolation, and extremely low literacy levels.

¨ The Dhebar Commission (1960–61) first highlighted intra-tribal disparities and recommended special attention to the most vulnerable sections of STs.

¨     Acting on this, the Government of India created a separate category called Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) in 1975, listing 52 communities. In 1993, another 23 were added, bringing the total to 75.

¨    In 2006, the term PTG was officially renamed as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) to reflect their special status.

¨ x  Currently, 75 PVTGs are spread across 18 States and 1 Union Territory (Andaman and Nicobar Islands). Among the 75 listed PVTGs, Orissa has the highest (13) number of them.

¨     As per a 2023 survey of MoTA, there were an estimated 47.5 lakh PVTGs across India. At 13.22 lakh, Madhya Pradesh had the highest estimated population of PVTGs, followed by Maharashtra with an estimated population of 6.7 lakh.