Wages in advance to woo back workforce

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, June 12

Eyeing to scale up production following relaxation in Covid curbs, industrialists in Rohtak and Jhajjar’s Bahadurgarh have been wooing migrant workers back with a slew of sops. From depositing advance in their bank accounts to hiring private buses for their free return journey, the industrialists have been trying it all.

The migrant workers had left for their native places, mainly in UP, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, around two months ago when strict restrictions were imposed in view of the second wave. They appear to be reluctant to return now, apprehending inconvenience due to the lockdown. “We hired two private buses to bring workers from western UP.

Efforts are on to convince others as over 50 per cent of our workforce is yet to return,” said Rajat Gupta, the owner of a footwear company in Bahadurgarh.

Narendra Chhikara, Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries senior vice-president, said businessmen were forced to take such steps due to severe labour crunch. “Bahadurgarh has more than 5,000 big, medium and small-scale industries where around 2.5 lakh people are engaged in labour work. All industries are facing acute manpower shortage,” he said.

Rohtak IDC Industries Association president SK Khator said factory owners had little option but to send bus or train fare to workers. “Though raising production to capacity will take time, maintenance of machines is necessary. Labourers are being called,” said Khator.