100% Literacy, Negligible Crime Rate At MP's 'Mini Kerala'

Raisen: A part of Kerala, famous as 'God's own country' exists in Madhya Pradesh.

Itkhedi village in Raisen district of the state is known as 'Mini Kerala' owing to its overwhelming population of people from the southern state.

In 1955, the then Central Government led by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had settled more than 150 Malayali families from Kerala in the village under a special project. Years down the line, youth from almost every household in the village are working in the Government including the Indian Army. Kerala is known for its literacy rate and the same has been replicated by the Malayalis in Itkhedi.

Owing to lack of resources and financial constraints, many of the families settled by the government returned home. But the families that stayed back ensured education for their children.

Itkhedi village (ETV Bharat)

Most of villagers are serving in the Indian Army, banks and other public sector companies. The female population is mostly engaged in healthcare sector. Back then, the families were given 12 acres of land each on which some do farming. The elderly population of the village mostly spend their time reading books. Education is of utmost importance for the families in the village. It has helped as crime rate in the village is almost negligible.

Itkhedi is located in Sultanpur sub-division of Raisen district. Earlier, only Malayali families from Kerala used to live here. Later people of other communities also settled in the village. According to the population data of 2011, the population of the village is 684 which includes 117 members of Scheduled Tribe along with 15 members of Scheduled Caste community. The average size of families in this village is three persons per house. In 2011, 77.21 per cent of the people were literate, whereas now this figure is close to 100 per cent.

In 1955, under the Central Mechanized Farming Project, Malayali families of Travancore-Cochin state were relocated to Madhya Pradesh. These families were rehabilitated in Itkhedi, Imilia, Urdumao and Majus Kalan in Raisen district. The rehabilitation was a part of the Central Mechanized Farming Project of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's second ministry. Its objective was to modernize agriculture in India. However, after Madhya Pradesh state was formed, the project was closed in 1956.

EV Thomas, an ex-serviceman said, "Former PM Jawaharlal Nehru had settled the poor people of Kerala here. Around 12 acres of land was given to every family, but at that time people were not aware of farming techniques. They were also not familiar with the environment here as a result of which a few families returned home."