Reaching Jarawa tribe of Andaman Islands for Census will not be tough, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The 16th Census will be held in two phases: October 2026 (snow-bound areas) and March 2027 (rest of India).
• Jarawas, one of the oldest surviving tribes, are nomadic hunter-gatherers in groups of 40–50.
• The tribe’s population grew from 260 (1998 estimate) to 647 (2025) due to better health interventions and contact.
• 2011 Census counted 380 Jarawas among the total 28,530 STs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Except Nicobarese, all other tribes including Sentinelese, Shompen, Onge, Andamanese, and Jarawa are classified as PVTGs.
• 191 PVTG individuals have been identified in the Islands under the PM-JANMAN scheme for targeted welfare delivery.
• Health care was made proactive and non-intrusive, integrating with tribal medicinal practices.

Detailed Insights:

• In 1998, initial contact was made with the Jarawa tribe, and a measles outbreak in 1999 posed a threat to their survival.
• Dr. R.C. Kar, a government physician, was instrumental in building trust and ensuring medical outreach without cultural intrusion.
• Satellite imagery and sustained engagement have made population counts more accurate.
• The increase in Jarawa population is attributed to preventive healthcare, respect for traditional systems, and limited interference.
• The Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) continues to pose a risk of intrusion, and experts emphasize minimal intervention as the best strategy for survival.
• The Jarawas show no lifestyle diseases, and their health resilience is seen as a result of their traditional lifestyle and immunity.
• The upcoming Census is expected to proceed smoothly, leveraging the established trust and outreach systems.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs): Sub-category of Scheduled Tribes with low literacy, pre-agricultural subsistence, and stagnant or declining populations.
• PM-JANMAN Scheme: Central government initiative for focused development of PVTG households across multiple sectors.
• Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers: Communities that subsist on hunting, fishing, and gathering rather than agriculture or pastoralism.
• Satellite Imagery in Census: Use of remote sensing to estimate and verify population settlements in inaccessible regions.