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Patna,(BiharTimes): During the election campaign in Bihar several reports appeared in the media as to how a large number of people migrated from the state because of the failure of NREGA. However, after the election reports from Surat are pouring in stating that the textile mills there are facing shortage of labourers from Bihar as many of them have stayed back in the state after Diwali and Chhatth in the hope that they would get jobs at home. |
 The return to power of the Nitish Kumar government has raised hope among labourers. They are looking forward towards more investment and boost in construction sector in Bihar. This is hitting the industry, especially textile, in Surat. Last year too Punjab faced shortage of agriculture labourers as many farm labourers had chosen to stay back. But drought at home and failure of NREGA dismayed many forcing them to move out again.
According to an estimate there are about three lakh Biharis in Surat. Bihar Vikas Parishad claims that in the past few weeks, around 30,000 of them have either returned to their hometowns or chosen to stay back.
Though it would be too early to say whether they have come back to Bihar for good or not as the marriage season started immediately after the Chhatth yet it is true that industrialists in Surat are alarmed by the shortage of labourers.
In the last few years Bihar has witnessed a lot of construction works. Both the state and central government agencies are involved in them. Expressways, rural roads, railways and bridge construction works are going on at the rapid pace.
Industrialists in Surat are quoted in the media as saying that very few units are running all three shifts. This is a clear indication of staff shortage.
However, there are many who are of the view that the shortage is temporary because of the marriage season and it has nothing to do with the assembly election results. Only those labourers have shifted back who have planned much before the election. It is neither possible for them to shift back to Bihar so quickly nor do they have wherewithal to immediately assess the situation back home. In the past the migrant labourers have temporarily shifted back to Bihar, only to return to their work place later.
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