Madhya Pradesh has topped the list of states in constructing permanent houses for most vulnerable tribal groups under the Prime Minister’s Adivasi JANMAN Mahabhiyan, as 22619 JANMAN houses have been constructed in the state out of the 1.13 lakh sanctioned for the state, officials said on Saturday.

According to state government officials, the Shivpuri district in MP has topped in the state by constructing and handing over 4443 houses to members of the extremely backward Sahariya tribe.

Officials added that Shivpuri has also achieved a significant milestone by setting up the country’s first PM JANMAN Colony.

Officials said that in the country, Odisha is second to MP with 1620 houses, Chhattisgarh with 526, and Rajasthan with 87 houses.

MP Panchayat and Rural development minister Prahlad Patel on Saturday inspected the country’s first PM JANMAN colonies in Hatod, Kota and Dabia Gram Panchayats in Shivpuri.

The PM JANMAN Colony in Hatod is named Shahid Tilkha Manjhi, while those in Dabia and Kota are named Shriram Bihar Colony and Johar Colony respectively.

Patel urged Sahariya families to focus on their children’s education and to fight against social evils and addiction. He also emphasized the importance of receiving amenities such as electricity, water, roads and healthcare along with their new homes.

Officials informed that the Shaheed Tikha Manjhi PM JANMAN colony in the Hatod Gram Panchayat houses 75 people of 18 Sahariya families. In the Dabia Gram Panchayat, the PM JANMAN colony is named Shri Ram Bihar Colony and houses 99 people of 28 Sahariya families. Similarly, the Kota Gram Panchayat has the third PM JANMAN colony named Johar colony, where 90 people of 18 Sahariya families are residing.

Officials pointed out that it is a record that the first PM JANMAN house in the country was constructed in Kalothra Gram Panchayat of Shivpuri Block for a tribal man named Bhaghchandra.

The first 500 PM JANMAN houses in the country were also completed in Shivpuri Block, and now the first PM JANMAN Colony in the country has also come up in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, said officials.