Faced with labour shortage,developers plan project to train work force in multi-tasking

Though there are a large number of labourers coming into the city from neighbouring states,the city is experiencing a dearth of workers. JP Shroff,chairman of the labour committee,CREDAI and is handling the plan,said,“The reason we are facing the labour shortage is the increase in large scale construction projects in the city. We have more work and less human resources. Also,many of these labourers are farmers who they have to go back during the sowing season.”

Rohit Gera,vice-president,Credai,Pune,said,“In the capital,construction workers for Commonwealth games projects being paid absurd amounts. Thus,workers,who would normally have come here,are heading off to Delhi to earn more resulting in tremendous shortage of people here.”

Bodies like Promoters and Builders Association of Pune (PBAP),PCRF and CQRA are being roped in to command the pilot projects. The project,which is currently in the proposal stage,aims to set up a special skill development model which will train the workers with an aim to become self sufficient. “If the labourers in the city are trained,we would not have to depend much on those coming from other places. It is also for the betterment of these workers because the better trained they are,the more they earn. If this project turns into a success,it will be introduced in other parts of the country as well,” said Shroff.

A committee under the leadership of JP Shroff has been set up to spearhead the project. A round of discussion regarding the proposal has already taken place and the committee is hoping to send the proposal to National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC),New Delhi,within 4-6 weeks after which the work will start on the project.