Key Facts about Katkari Tribe

About Katkari Tribe:

• It is a primitive tribe found in Maharashtra (Pune, Raigad, and Thane districts) and parts of Gujarat. 
• It is one of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India.
• They were historically forest dwellers.
• Katkaris are also known as Kathodis because of their old occupation of making Katha(Catechu), the thickened sap from wood of Khair (Acacia catechu).
• Language: They are bilingual, speaking the Katkari language amongst themselves and Marathi with others. A few of them speak Hindi as well.
• Occupation:
  • They serve as agricultural labourers and sell firewood and some jungle fruits.
  • They also take up fishing for domestic consumption, coal making, and brick manufacturing.
• They have tremendous knowledge about uncultivated foods like fish, crabs, animals, birds, tubers/rhizomes, wild vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc.
• A majority of the Katkari families are landless. The landless rate of 87% among the Katkari is much higher than 48% for rural households in India as a whole.
  • As a result of landlessness, migration is rampant, and livelihoods are seasonal. 

Q1: What are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)?

PVTGs are a more vulnerable group among tribal groups in India. These groups have primitive traits, geographical isolation, low literacy, zero to negative population growth rate and backwardness. Moreover, they are largely dependent on hunting for food and a pre-agriculture level of technology. Currently, there are 2.8 million PVTGs belonging to 75 tribes across 22,544 villages in 220 districts across 18 states and Union Territories in India.

Source: Over 550 people from Katkari tribe get caste certificates