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Bleeding the lifeline: tryst with NREGA in West Bengal

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005 is a landmark step by the central government aimed at providing employment to those living in state of chronic poverty in rural parts of the country. However, the status of its current implementation and access to it by the most marginalised is far from satisfactory. This report is based on an extensive community level survey and case study gathering in nine districts in the state of West Bengal. Its objective is to not only explore the real picture of the functioning of NREGA, but also highlight cases of denial, lack of access, delayed payment and ignorance about this life-line for the rural poor.