Hyderabad: High in the remote forested hills of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, the Konda Reddi tribal community—a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG)—may soon find a new kind of shelter: Permanent homes, if they choose to accept them.On Saturday, a quiet but significant outreach began. Govt officials made contact with the Scheduled Tribe community as part of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN), a central initiative aimed at uplifting 75 identified PVTGs across India. Among them are the Konda Reddis, known for their resilience, self-reliance, and a long-standing preference for life deep within the forests—away from roads, towns, and the reach of development schemes.For decades, the Konda Reddis have resisted leaving their forest homes, despite repeated appeals by govt departments urging them to move closer to accessible villages or towns. Even basic services—like internet connectivity—are nearly impossible in these remote areas. During a recent visit to one of the Konda Reddi habitations, officials could not complete digital data collection because there was no network.Instead, they noted details manually, a first step in what is expected to be a long process of building trust.Now, a comprehensive survey is underway in eight habitations across Aswaraopet and Dammapeta mandals, where the govt hopes to reach each of the estimated 1,300 Konda Reddi residents. In 2023, officials had already made progress by enrolling 692 voters from the community, a milestone in bridging the gap between the forest dwelling group and the democratic process.Officials say that while many families have made attempts to build rudimentary shelters, all of them still live within reserved forest areas, making formal infrastructure development challenging and often legally complex. Recognising their steadfast refusal to leave these ancestral lands, the govt had earlier granted podu pattas—land rights for cultivation—to the community.Now, under PM JANMAN, the next big step is housing. On a saturation basis, every Konda Reddi family without a house will be sanctioned one—no one will be left behind, an official assured. The proposed homes will be modelled after the Indiramma housing scheme, reflecting the Telangana govt’s approach to inclusive development, he said.Still, officials acknowledge that the path ahead depends as much on consent as on policy. “We are not forcing anyone. These houses will be built only if the community agrees. It’s their choice,” a senior official told TOI.The challenge is not merely about construction, but about coexistence—preserving the cultural autonomy of the Konda Reddis while slowly weaving them into the fabric of public welfare and rights, the official added.