India, March 19 -- Villagers report grappling to make ends meet due to loss of guaranteed employment

West Bengal's rural communities are grappling with a harsh reality - the absence of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has impacted not just livelihoods but also festivities, healthcare and nutrition. While numerous regions have transformed into 'ghost villages' due to the majority of residents migrating in search of employment, those who remain are grappling to even make ends meet.

MGNREGS operations came to a grinding halt in many villages across the state around two years ago. Down To Earth (DTE) visited the region and discovered that the lack of guaranteed employment opportunities has w...