Mankidia community becomes 6th PVTG to get Habitat Rights over forests in Odisha

Recently, the Mankidia community became the 6th particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) PVTG to get habitat rights over forests in Odisha.The Mankidia are a semi-nomadic community known for their traditional skill of rope making, trapping and eating monkeys.

About Mankidia Tribe

• The Mankidia community is an Austro-Asiatic community that ekes out a living mainly from the forests.
• They constitute a semi-nomadic section of the Birhor tribe.
• They have been identified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Odisha.

Occupation 

• They are primarily a food gathering and hunting community. 
• They are one of the most little-known forest dwelling and wandering communities of the state as well as the country.
• They wander inside forests in small bands and stay at different tandas the temporary makeshift settlements consisting of temporary dome-shaped leaf huts known as Kumbhas.

Language

They speak a form of Munda language and some of them are also conversant in Odia.

Worship

• They believe in both malevolent and benevolent spirits and Gods. 
• Logobir and Budhimai are their supreme deities.
• They worship their ancestors for the purpose of enjoying health and achieving success in hunting and collecting forest produce.

Location

They are mainly found in Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

About Forest Rights Act

• FRA enacted in 2006 recognises the rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other sociocultural needs.
• It recognizes and vest the forest rights and occupation in Forest land in Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD) who have been residing in such forests for generations.
• It strengthens the conservation regime of the forests while ensuring livelihood and food security of the FDST and OTFD.

Rights Under the Forest Rights Act

• Title rights
• Use rights
• Relief and development Rights
• Forest Management Rights

What is PVTG?

• PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups.
• In1975, the Government of India declared 52 tribal groups as PVTGs on the recommendation of the Dhebar Commission.
• Currently, there are 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes.
• The PVTGs are spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (UT), in the country (2011 census).
• Odisha has the highest number (more than 2.5 lakh) of PVTGs.