Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan has sparked fresh controversy, this time over concerns about workers' reluctance to relocate due to government welfare schemes. This comes shortly after his remarks advocating a 90-hour work week stirred a nationwide debate on work-life balance.

Speaking at the CII's Mystic South Global Linkages Summit 2025 in Chennai on Tuesday, Subrahmanyan noted that the construction industry is struggling to find workers willing to move from their hometowns, citing comfort and financial security from government initiatives like MGNREGA, direct benefit transfers, and Jan Dhan accounts as possible reasons.

"Labour is not keen to migrate for work. Perhaps their local economy is thriving, or maybe government schemes are providing sufficient support," he said. He cautioned that this labour shortage could slow down India's infrastructure development.

Highlighting India’s unique migration challenge, Subrahmanyan pointed out that L&T requires 4 lakh workers but ends up hiring 16 lakh due to attrition. He also emphasized the need to align wages with inflation, explaining that workers in the Middle East earn three to 3.5 times more than their counterparts in India, making overseas jobs more attractive.

Last month, Subrahmanyan made headlines when he suggested employees should work on Sundays. "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you keep staring at your wife? Come to the office and work," he had said, revealing that he himself works on Sundays.

His comments ignited a debate, with industry leaders like Adar Poonawalla, Anand Mahindra, and ITC’s Sanjiv Puri advocating for work-life balance to enhance productivity. The issue reached Parliament, where the government clarified that there are no plans to increase maximum working hours to 70 or 90 per week.

Amid this discourse, the pre-Budget Economic Survey released last Friday referenced studies indicating that working over 60 hours a week can be harmful to health. The report highlighted the negative impact of prolonged working hours on mental well-being, cautioning that individuals spending 12 or more hours a day at their desks often experience significant psychological distress.