'Focus on wages...': BJP MP condemns L&T chairman's remarks on Indian labourers

BJP MP and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal on Wednesday condemned the comments by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who attributed the reluctance of labourers to work to government welfare schemes. Khandelwal called the statement "misleading, insulting, and demoralizing" to India’s hardworking labour force.

"The statement made by Mr Subrahmanyan is not only misleading but also insulting and demoralizing to the immense progress and development that has taken place at the grassroots level in India," Khandelwal said in a statement. "It is unacceptable to demean the hardworking labour force of this country, which has been the backbone of India's growth."

Subrahmanyan made the remarks during the CII Mystic South Global Linkages Summit 2025 in Chennai, where he spoke about the growing challenge of mobilising workers in the construction industry. "Labour is not willing to move for opportunities. Maybe their local economy is doing well, maybe it is due to the various government schemes and direct benefit transfers available to them, but they are not willing to move," Subrahmanyan said.

Reacting sharply, Khandelwal defended the government’s initiatives, saying that schemes like MGNREGA, direct benefit transfers, and Jan Dhan accounts have provided financial security and improved livelihoods for millions under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Rather than blaming these initiatives, the focus should be on improving working conditions, wages, and the overall ecosystem for labourers in the construction industry," he said.

Khandelwal urged corporate leaders to reflect on their own practices. "If companies are facing labour shortages, they should introspect on whether they are offering fair wages, better working conditions, and social security to attract workers," he added.

Highlighting the need for collaboration, Khandelwal called for constructive dialogue between the industry and policymakers to address labour concerns in a balanced and fair manner. "It is unfortunate that a leader of such a reputed organisation is portraying welfare measures as a hindrance to employment, rather than recognizing them as essential steps towards inclusive growth," he said.

L&T has a dedicated HR team to oversee labour mobilisation and recruitment. However, Subrahmanyan admitted that despite these efforts, finding and retaining workers remains a growing challenge. The L&T boss also pointed out that reluctance to migrate for work is not limited to blue-collar workers. 

“When I joined L&T as a graduate engineer, my boss said if you are from Chennai, you go to Delhi and work. But today, if I ask a person from Chennai to work out of Delhi, he says bye. It’s a different world of work today, and we have to see how to make HR policies flexible,” he said.