Industrialists in Ludhiana say that they have faced labour shortage during the harvesting season earlier also, but now the problem has turned perennial.
Many industrialists maintain that they are facing 50-60 per cent labour shortage owing to different reasons.
Ludhiana Knitters' Association President Ajit Lakra said that the shortage of labour was now a serious issue for the industry.
Labour shortage may increase the production cost for industries as the cost of available labour was likely to shoot up.
Also many industrialists are apprehensive of booking future orders as they are not sure whether they would be able to deliver the orders well in time or not.
Echoing his views, D S Chawla, former president United Cycle and Manufacturers Association, Ludhiana Industry is facing over 50 per cent labour shortage.
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Chawla said that the manufacturing industries still has to come up in terms with the losses owing to increase in steel prices now wonders what would happen if the labour crisis continues.
He adds that industries are heavily dependent on migrant labour but with many infrastructure projects coming in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar the interests of migrant labour have started shifting back close to their homes.
The industrialists rue that labour shortage problem could take its toll on the industrialisation in the state.