The increase in labour force participation from all age groups, with many self-employed households transitioning into casual wage employment and reverse migration coupled with a near absence of employment opportunities make the future seem grim. This is the 40th report in a series that provides glimpses into the impact of COVID-19-related policies on life in rural India. The series, commissioned by the Society for Social and Economic Research, comprises reports by various scholars who have been conducting village studies in different parts of India. The reports have been prepared on the basis of telephonic interviews with key informants in their study villages.