Context:
Andaman’s Onge tribe king Totoko and Queen Priya welcomed a baby boy.
Onges:
- One of the oldest tribes in Little Andaman Island.
- Racial ancestry – Negrito.
- Status – Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
- Occupation – Semi-nomadic and rely on hunting and gathering.
- Habitat – Confined to the Dugong Creek
- Religion – Do not believe in firm worshipping practices or sacrifices.
- Other features –
- Consider white teeth a symbol of death and chew the bark to impart a red colour to their teeth.
- Decorate their bodies and their faces with white and ochre clay.
- On special occasions, they place a greater emphasis on body ornamentation.
- Population – One of the world’s least prolific and infertile communities
- Population drastically declined due to epidemics and confrontations with the British.
- Other tribes in Andaman – Jarawa, Shompen, Great Andamanese, and Sentinelese.
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups:
- More vulnerable group among tribal groups in India.
- Criteria for identification of PVTGs –
- Pre-agricultural level of technology
- Low level of literacy
- Economic backwardness
- A declining or stagnant population
- Recommended by – Dhebar Commission
- Population – 75 tribes listed under PVTGs across 18 states and Union Territories
- State with largest population and highest number of PVTGs – Odisha (13 tribes)
- Largest PVTG – Saura community (Odisha) – 2011 Census
Source: The Indian Express
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India:
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
There are only 75 PVTGs officially notified in the country.
