Andhra Pradesh (a southern Indian state that was split from Telangana in 2014) has recorded its sharpest decline in rural employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) since that division, according to a new analysis by public policy research group LibTech India. Total workdays generated fell by 23.2% year-on-year in 2025–26, with the average number of workdays per household dropping from roughly 52 to 43, while the number of households receiving work and the overall workforce employed also shrank. The findings raise significant concerns about rural livelihoods in the state, as MGNREGA serves as a critical safety net guaranteeing paid manual work to low-income rural families.