Katkari Tribe in India

Of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India as per the classification of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Katkari is an Indian Tribe of Maharashtra. 

What is the Katkari Tribe?

• The Katkaris are majorly located in districts of Maharashtra including Raigad, parts of Palghar, Ratnagiri and Thane, and also a small population of this tribe can be found in areas of Gujarat
• The Katkari people are also known as Kathodis because of their old occupation of making Katha, the thickened sap from the wood of Khair 
• The name ‘Katkari’ comes from a forest based activity, which involves the making and bartering ‘Catechu’ from Khair tree
• They serve as agricultural labourers and sell firewood and some jungle fruits
• They are bilingual and speak in Marathi or Katkari language, which is a Marathi-Konkani dialect
• The tribe also celebrate a festival called ‘Undir Navmi which is dedicated to the rodent
• In terms of occupation, apart from selling firewood and agricultural products, they are also take up fishing for domestic consumption, coal making and brick manufacturing.

• Shahpur’s Katkari Tribal Youth – Sunil Pawar

  The government has initiated various schemes and policies under which the people from different tribes or rural/backward areas can work for their prosperity and growth. Taking complete advantage of one such scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY), a Katkari Tribal youth, named Sunil Pawar spread the market for the local produce to online mediums. 

  “Adivasi Ekatmik Samajik Sanstha” of Shahapur in Thane is known to market Giloy and other products. Katkari Sunil Pawar along with a group of his friends started selling these products to local markets and then through the PMVDY run by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) got assistance and created a website and started selling the goods online and in larger markets.

  In 2020, when the country was hit by the Novel Coronavirus, and many people were left jobless, this tribe managed to earn their livelihood during the tough times and their business flourished. 

  What is Giloy?

  Giloy is a medicinal plant with huge demand from pharmaceutical companies. It is an ayurvedic herb and has been used to make medicines for the past thousands of decades. 

• About PM Van Dhan Yojana 

  

  • The Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) launched the Van Dhan scheme in 2018 intending to improve the tribal income through value addition of tribal products
  • The scheme aims at the economic development of tribals involved in the collection of Minor Food Produces (MFPs)
  • PM Van Dhan Yojana was implemented at four levels:
    • National Level – Nodal Department is the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
    • Central Level – The Nodal Agency is TRIFED India (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India)
    • State Level – State Nodal Agencies for Minor Forest Produce Schemes (MFP) and District Collectors
    • Local Level – A Self Help Group consisting of approx 30 members to form a Van Dhan Vikas Samuh