Vol. 9, Issue 12, Part B (2023)

Abstract
In Maharashtra, agriculture is crippled by water scarcity, crop failures, and meagre returns. Beed, a rural stronghold, relies on rainfed farming and sporadic wage labour due to its semi-arid landscape and inadequate irrigation. During the dry season (November-May), villages face rampant unemployment, propelling droves to seek work in distant districts or states, mainly in sugar mills and brick factories. Migration offers a lifeline amidst rural distress, yet it entangles families in an endless cycle of poverty, its impact differential across class, caste, and gender lines. This narrative illuminates how migration, while a survival strategy, perpetuates Beed's economic and social plight.