Industrialists failing to achieve orders due to workforce shortage

Although the four-month period has passed since relaxations were given to industries, the industry cycle in Waluj has not yet returned to normalcy as companies are still facing severe crunch of workers. After unlock, only 50 per cent of the workers have returned. Hence companies are now struggling to complete the festival orders.

Companies have received bulk orders on the backdrop of Dussehra-Diwali, but are facing difficulties in fulfilling them due to shortage of manpower. Most of the workers in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam and Odisha are working in these companies. However, as the inter-state railway has not yet received permission from the state government, hence the workers cannot return to the city. Similarly, industrialists are also struggling to get raw material for bulk orders. MASSIA president Abhay Hanchanal said that "Steel and other raw materials are also in short supply. Hence many companies are not able to complete their orders on time. Similarly, we need more workforce to increase production. Companies are short of workers, and this may hamper production. All these issues will be resolved only after the start of the railways. Several issues need to be resolved on priority."

With the ongoing manpower shortage, companies had to resort to bringing workers from their home towns by hiring private vehicles. Many big companies and contractors had hired private buses to get the workers back. Taking advantage, the workers are now demanding increased wages. Before the lockdown, a contractual worker used to earn Rs 400 a day, but now the workers are asking up to Rs 600-700 for a day''s work.