MSMEs in Tiruchi face acute shortage of workforce in the face of steady orders from BHEL

The MSMEs, particularly the fabrication units, in the region have been facing a shortage of skilled workers. | Photo Credit: R. VENGADESH Despite a turnaround, triggered by large-scale orders placed by the State-owned Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd. (BHEL), Tiruchi, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) have been struggling to make use of the opportunity due to acute shortage of skilled and unskilled labourers.There was a time when the fabrication industry was at its peak in Tiruchi. The district had about 425 MSMEs about 20 years ago. Dwindling orders and its cascading impact severely hit the financial health of most MSMEs. Several of them subsequently shut shop between 2016 and 2023.However, the MSMEs have been witnessing a turnaround since 2024-25 thanks to the new orders placed by BHEL, which has an order book of over ₹2 lakh crore. Buoyed by the orders, several entrepreneurs have restarted their units. According to sources, the number of vendors of the BHEL has touched 300. However, the vendors are finding it difficult to execute the orders on time for want of workers.It requires at least 50,000 skilled and unskilled workers for the MSME units at Tiruverumbur, Thuvakudi, Ariyamangalam, Kattur, Mathur, and other industrial areas in the district. However, according to sources, the current strength of the workforce stands at about 15,000.The attempts of companies to bring back their old workers, who have changed their profession, have been futile. Most of them are working as delivery agents. Claiming that they were getting a decent income, many of them have turned down the offers. The companies have displayed notice boards, inviting applications for the posts of fitters, welders, turners, and CNC operators.R. Kanagasabapathy, former Chairman, Tiruchi Trade Centre, said there was a heavy demand for welders and turners. The companies had been conducting campus recruitment at the Industrial Training Institutes. However, they did not have enough manpower.G.B. Ram Prakash, vice-president, Tiruchi Small Industries and Micro Manufacturing Association, said the companies could not make use of the high volume of orders being placed by the BHEL for various components of boilers due to the acute shortage of labourers. Many orders, which were supposed to be executed by the units in Tiruchi, were placed outside Tamil Nadu. The State government and other stakeholders should take immediate steps to address the issue. Published - August 14, 2026 07:41 pm IST