BARRACKPORE (North 24-Parganas), May 6: Residents of Harishpur village have been forced to earn their livelihood by begging as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) failed to improve their lives. Harishpur, which is under Mamudpur gram panchayat near Naihati is one of the most backward villages in North 24-Parganas. The village, which is largely inhabited by Adivasis (Tribals), has 300 families living there. Developmental activities have not been seen for these people who are struggling for their existence. "We do not get sufficient food for our survival. Many of us have died due to starvation. But no political leaders or party cadres are seen here except at the time of election,' said Mr Haran Mal, a villager. He also said leaders shower them with promises before every election, and as soon as the elections are over, they are all forgotten. "It is only when elections come that we understand we are villagers under a gram panchayat. But we again forget this, as soon as the election finishes. Leaders disappear from the villages. If somehow we trace them at any other place, they ignore us by giving many excuses,' said Mr Mal. Like Mr Mal many villagers, who are all beggars, struggle hard to get two square meals. "We did not get any work under NREGA here. Mamudpur Gram Panchayat did not give us any work. More and more people, who are suffering from starvation, are taking to begging for their survival,' said Mrs Lata Kaibarta. "People laugh at us, ridicule us, but nobody ever charged this panchayat for failing to give us jobs and failing to take care of us,' said another villager. Mr Khokon Pramanik, a panchayat member of ruling party CPI-M has admitted the pathetic condition of this village. He said due to various reasons implementation of the government projects was not successful. However, he said their panchayat is trying hard to change the scenario. Trinamul alleged the panchayat has been thoroughly inefficient and that was why NREGA could not be implemented properly in the areas. "Not a single person got any job under this project in this village. The panchayat is ignorant about the cause of these villagers,' said Mr Parthasarathi Saha, Trinamul leader. He also said chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee should visit this village, who a few days ago declared at a meeting in North 24-Parganas, that poverty has been largely eradicated from West Bengal.