The Youth of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and their Livelihood Practices in India.

This research paper presents the livelihood practices and opportunities of the youth of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) living in Andhra Pradesh, India. The PVTGs are a group of tribes under the scheduled tribes of India. There are 75 PVTGs communities living in India, of which 12 PVTGs communities are living in the state of Andhra Pradesh. PVTGs youth are different in many aspects compared to urban youth and rural youth. PVTGs youth are the less developed among tribal groups, more vulnerable, marginalized, live in remote forest areas and hill tracks with poor connectivity and access. This study used two sampling methods i.e. stratified multistage sampling method and systematic random sampling method and conducted with 240 PVTGs youth between the age group of 18-34 years through a structured interview schedule. The study found that the major livelihood practices of PVTGs youth are agriculture or podu cultivation, daily wage, collection and selling of forest products, farm animals and livestock and small scale entrepreneurship. Still, the PVTGs youth are backward because of low income, poverty, poor connectivity, and living in remote forest areas. The PVTGs youth need separate reservations, separate welfare corporation to access the government employment and other welfare or developmental schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]