SHORTAGE OF WORKFORCE: INDUSTRY IN MOHALI IN A FIX

MOHALI:The relaxation in curfew that has allowed businessmen to reopen industry in the state will do little to overcome the losses suffered since the lockdown came into force. Reason: Nearly 60% of the labour workforce has returned to their home state.

Industrialists are now grappling with labour shortage, wondering how to increase productivity at a time when there is hardly anybody around to do the work.

As per Mohali Industries Association (MIA), the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector in Mohali district has suffered a loss of around ₹1,000 crore in the last 45 days, while the overall loss is estimated at ₹1,500 crore.

There are around 13,000 MSME units and 49 large industrial units in Mohali that employ 1.3 lakh persons, out of which 78,000 labourers have gone back to their native states. The units in the district are located in Mohali, Dera Bassi, Chanalon in Kurali and Chappar Chiri.

Yogesh Sagar, president of MIA, said, “We have already paid the salaries for April and have requested the state government to do something to stop the workers from going back.”

Vivek Kapoor, vice-president of MIA, said most of the skilled workers had left and it was really difficult to restart the units. “It will at least take us one year to revive the business.”

Harjinder Singh Pannu, general manager, district industry centre, said, “For now we have only allowed those industries/ establishments that can make arrangements for workers’ stay within the premises and/or in adjacent buildings, but such units are few.”

Since the industrial policy was revised almost two years ago, the MSMEs scheme for Mohali had been drawing big profits for the district. Major sectors like IT, agro and food processing, automobiles and auto parts, textiles, engineering, pharmaceuticals, electronics, sports, hand tools and leather industry were planning to set up base here. But the lockdown has put a damper on those plans.