New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- Demand for rural jobs under India's flagship public employment programme fell to a 10-month low in July as the onset of the monsoon season pulled millions of workers back to the fields, suggesting both seasonal shifts and early signs of rural economic resilience.

About 16.6 million households sought work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in July, according to data from the Ministry of Rural Development. That's down sharply from 27.56 million in June, 28.38 million in May, and 20.12 million in April.

The July decline reflects a typical mid-year dip when agricultural activity tied to kharif sowing temporarily absorbs labor from public works. The fall also underscores the cyclic...