As labour exodus continues amid the ongoing lockdown, several sectors ranging from agro-processing, hosiery, engineering to auto components in Punjab are finding it difficult to get back on track in the absence of demand and shortage of labour.
‘Difficult to get back’
Several industry players believe that unless demand is revived it would be difficult for the businesses to get back to normal. “The Central government had recently announced a financial package but it’s mostly to revive the supply chain, there has hardly been any focus to boost demand,” Narinder Bhamra, president of Fastener Manufacturers Association of India, told The Hindu.
“Most of the industries engaged in the manufacturing of automotive components are shut in Ludhiana and even when we plan to restart, the problem of labour shortage is expected to hit us hard,” he said, adding that FMAI has written a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, asking the government to come to the rescue of the industry, which is involved in manufacturing of nuts, bolts, studs, rivets and screws.
Amritsar-based rice miller Arvinderpal Singh said despite their best efforts to retain the workers, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, most of them are heading for their hometowns. “We offered them bonus and other benefits but the emotional call seems to be driving them towards home. The rice industry is labour intensive and requires skilled manpower but in the absence of labour, output will drop significantly,” he said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the woollen and synthetic industrial unit owners as they were looking forward to restart their operations.
