Construction industry seeks to tap returning migrants
Times of India | 13 September 2025
Kolkata: Builders Association of India (BAI), the largest trade body of construction industry, hopes to leverage the skills of construction workers from Bengal engaged in Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states as they trickle back following a spate of attacks on Bengali-speaking migratory workers in other parts of the country.
BAI has turned 75 this year.
"We have a paucity of skilled workers — heavy machinery operators, drivers, electricians, masons, carpenters, fitters — in the state. We are working on phased upskilling of the 8 lakh workers engaged in the industry. Half of them who are semi-skilled have the potential to become skilled workers. But that will take time. The return of workers from other states provides an opportunity to get ready-made skilled workforce," said BAI Kolkata chairman Amlan Kumar Biswas.
While the Shramshree scheme announced by Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has promised Rs 5,000 to each migratory worker returning to the state until they secure new employment here, BAI said the association needed support from the govt in improving skills so that the quality of workmanship improved. "We are engaged with state labour minister Moloy Ghatak and ministry of industry, commerce and enterprise Shashi Panja," said Biswas.
One of the reasons why workers who are better skilled migrate to other states is the difference in daily wages. The daily wage rate in Bengal for skilled workers is Rs 700-Rs 800, for semi-skilled Rs 600-Rs 650, and for unskilled Rs 500. In southern states, the payout is at least Rs 200-Rs 300 more. BAI spokesperson and former Kolkata chapter chairman Sudip Kumar Dutta acknowledged that bridging the wage gap was a challenge but hoped the association could partner with the government to evolve a scheme that helped retain skilled workforce.
Former BAI national president Sushanta Kumar Basu also called for a change in the schedule of rates that was last revised in 2017. "Labour and material costs have increased. Also, timely handover of land for construction projects and payment of dues on time can help the construction industry that provides the largest employment after agriculture. Delayed payment has a cascading effect on material purchase and wage payment," he pointed out.