Detailed Explanation:

Answer: Option 3 — 1, 2 and 4

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are a special category within Scheduled Tribes that was created during the Fourth Five-Year Plan to identify groups at a lower level of development. Currently, 75 PVTGs are officially notified across 18 states and one Union Territory in India.

✅ Statement 1 – Correct: PVTGs are indeed spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) in India.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: A stagnant or declining population is one of the five criteria for determining PVTG status, along with pre-agricultural level of technology, extremely low literacy, subsistence-level economy, and geographical isolation.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: There are 75 PVTGs officially notified in the country, not 95.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Both Irular (found in Tamil Nadu and Kerala) and Konda Reddi (found in Andhra Pradesh) tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.

📝 Short Notes: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

• Origin: The concept was introduced during the Fourth Five-Year Plan to identify tribal groups at lower levels of development among Scheduled Tribes.
• Official Count: 75 PVTGs have been officially notified in India.
• Geographical Spread: Found in 18 states and 1 Union Territory (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
• Five Criteria for PVTG Status:
  (i) Pre-agricultural level of technology
  (ii) Stagnant or declining population
  (iii) Extremely low literacy rates
  (iv) Subsistence-level economy
  (v) Geographical isolation
• Examples: Chenchu, Birhor, Bonda, Great Andamanese, Irular, Konda Reddi, Sahariya, Asur, etc.
• Development Scheme: Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements schemes like Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (DPVTG) for their socio-economic development.