The construction sector in Mysuru which was hit by labour scarcity in the run-up to the polls, is breathing easy as the situation is expected to return to normalcy a day or two after the conclusion of the polls.
Bulk of the labour force for most civil engineering firms in the private domain tend to come from the rural hinterland of Mysuru.
Nanjangud taluk provides the maximum number of workers followed by Chamarajanagar and this is more so during the non-agricultural season when there is hardly any work in the fields till the onset of monsoon. Hence male workers tend to find work as daily labourers in the construction sector.
Besides, farmers with small-sized land holdings who do not find agriculture remunerative due to increase in input cost coupled with decline in income, have switched to non-agricultural works for sustenance and they find jobs in the construction sector.
But come elections which tend to be held mainly in April/May and the work force dissipates by almost 30 to 40 per cent, according to Mahesh of Sneha Constructions.
‘’In case of established brands engaged in construction of multi-storeyed high-rise apartments, the workers are sourced from different States and engaged on contract basis and may not feel the pinch of the local disruption. But for individuals engaging workforce on a daily wage basis the impact is severe’’, he added.
A view endorsed by N. Subramanya of Builders Association of India, Mysuru Centre. He said a majority of the workers have strong political affiliations at the grassroots and tend to work for the party they support.
Even if they are apolitical, they engage in canvassing during elections and campaign for a candidate as there is interdependence and strong group feeling in rural society. The candidate may not be known personally to a worker, but the latter will be in contact with someone who has a relationship with the candidate and there is a chain link that connects them all.
But a greater draw is the economic aspect. The earnings after a day’s hard work ranges from ₹600 to ₹800 for a male worker in the construction field and about ₹400 to ₹500 for women workers. But campaigning is akin to a paid holiday as there is no physical labour of any kind, the payment received is higher apart from free food and sometimes even liquor, said Mr. Mahesh.
Hence most firms anticipate the labour shortage and either advance any crucial work of a project or postpone it. This year the labour shortage was as high as 50 per cent in the last few days in the run-up to the polls due to intensity of the campaigning. ‘’We expect normalcy to return from Monday once the results are declared on Saturday’’, said Mr. Subramanya. The labour scarcity intensifies as the campaigning peaks and lasts about 10 to 15 days during each elections, he added.
