COVID-19 lockdown: MSMEs in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor and Nellore districts hit by migrant crisis

Chittoor has more than 150 large-scale industrial units and close to 500 MSMEs that together employ 1,11,269 people.
Representational image.  (File | EPS)
Representational image.  (File | EPS)

CHITTOOR: With a major chunk of the workers having gone back to their home states, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and other industrial units in Chittoor and Nellore districts are now facing a sever manpower crunch that is not only hindering their productivity, but also affects transportation and distribution of stocks. In addition, even as more relaxations from lockdown are being given, the units are struggling to scale up their operation due to the unskilled manpower available in the nearby areas.

Chittoor has more than 150 large-scale industrial units and close to 500 MSMEs that together employ 1,11,269 people. Meanwhile, the 7,600 small-scale units have a combined workforce of 71,379. It is learnt that around 30-35 per cent of the workforce is only turning up for work at present, while the remaining have gone home as they are migrants.    

The industries and special economic zones in Nellore are located in Tada and Naidupet mandals, where a majority of the workers are from north India. Even those from Tada, Sullurpeta and Doravari Satram mandals are reluctant to report for work in the wake of the health emergency.

For instance, a popular footwear company, located in a SEZ in Nellore, resumed its operations very recently. It employs over 10,000 workers from the region, a majority of whom are unwilling to work. "After migrant workforce returned home, companies and MSMEs are facing a severe shortage of staff. So they are somehow managing with the unskilled manpower from the nearby areas," said an official from the Labour Department.

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The New Indian Express
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