L&T Chairman Criticizes Worker Reluctance to Relocate, Citing Welfare Schemes

SN Subrahmanyan highlights challenges in labor mobility and workforce attitudes while defending his controversial 90-hour workweek stance.

Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan claims government welfare schemes such as MGNREGA and direct benefit transfers are reducing labor mobility in India.
He expressed concern over the difficulty in recruiting workers for the construction industry, citing a preference for comfort and local opportunities.
Subrahmanyan emphasized that labor shortages could hinder India's infrastructure development and called for wage adjustments aligned with inflation to retain workers.
The chairman's earlier remarks advocating a 90-hour workweek and criticizing work-life balance have sparked significant backlash and public debate.
Subrahmanyan also noted a shift in attitudes among white-collar workers, who increasingly resist relocating for jobs, urging companies to adapt HR policies to these changes.