The term "Scheduled Tribes" signifies specific indigenous groups whose status is formally acknowledged to some extent by Indian legislation, often colloquially referred to as "tribals" or "adibasi."
They have a population of about one million and are based mainly in the Kandhamal and adjoining districts namely Rayagada, Koraput, Balangir and Boudh.
The Bonda, are known as 'the Naked People', and have a population of about 5,000 and live in Malkangiri district formerly part of undivided Koraput.
The implementation of the Scheduled Tribes Modification Order in 1956 brought significant changes, including the inclusion of 21 new tribes as Scheduled Tribes, such as Bhottada, Bhumia, Bhumij, Bhunjia, Desua Bhumij, Dharua, Didayi, Gandia, Holva, Kandha Gauda, Kol, Kotia, Lodha, Madia, Matya, Omanatya, Parenga, Pentia, Rajuar, Sabar Lodha, and Sounti.
As they did not meet the basic criteria for tribal status, the Odisha government later proposed their exclusion from the list.
However, this proposal faced opposition from members in Parliament, and as a result, there were no changes made to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.
These are mostly synonyms, segments and phonetic variations of existing Scheduled Tribes, such as Kandha Kumbhar, Jodia, Chuktia Bhunjia, Saara, Mankidia, Porja, Banda Paraja, Durua, and Paharia.