The return of migrants: NREGS work dips\, signals rise in demand for industrial labour

NEW DELHI: Another indicator of improvement in India’s industrial and urban sectors comes from rural jobs data – employment in August under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) shrunk to a fourth of the peak recorded in June. Experts said part of the reason is return of migrant labour to industrial centres and cities.Heavy rains and states’ spending constraints also played a part in lower employment in rural works programmes in