Punjab’s economy relies, to a significant extent, on migrant workers arriving from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and several other states. The demand for these workers in the agricultural sector typically surges starting in April, coinciding with the wheat harvest and the subsequent lifting of crops from the *mandis* (grain markets).
Factories manufacturing sports equipment in Jalandhar, the hosiery industry in Ludhiana, and the textile sector in Amritsar are heavily dependent on this labor force. However, a shortage of workers has already begun to manifest as early as April. While the contribution of these laborers typically serves as a pillar of support for Punjab’s economy, business activity has currently slowed down due to the ongoing conflict. A
lthough an exodus of laborers typically occurs every year after May, this year, the migration is already becoming apparent. The primary reason for this situation is that supply chains have been disrupted due to the conflicts involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Consequently, the demand for labor has declined as industrial and commercial operations have been adversely affected. The government is becoming increasingly concerned as to why the exodus of workers has commenced so prematurely. The cited reasons include a shortage of LPG (cooking gas) and the inability of factories to operate at full shift capacity. Industries such as bicycle manufacturing and hosiery in Ludhiana, sports goods in Jalandhar, and textiles and food processing in Amritsar have begun grappling with this crisis.
Due to the reduction in workload, working hours in many factories have been slashed from 12 hours to just 6 hours. Rising operational costs have forced several production units to shut down temporarily, leaving insufficient work available for the laborers. On the other hand, they are facing difficulties in cooking their meals due to the unavailability of gas cylinders. Consequently, laborers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have started returning home in large numbers, filling up trains to capacity. The government has issued directives stating that even if laborers do not possess the requisite authorization letters for a regular gas supply, they should still be provided with 5-kilogram gas cylinders.