Uddhav said that the government has allowed industries to resume operations in the state but a cautious approach is being taken in areas where the number of Covid-19 cases are on the rise.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday inaugurated the ‘Mahajobs’ portal, an industrial employment bureau that will offer job opportunities to the youths of the state. To register on the portal, the Shiv Sena-led government has made it mandatory for the youths to produce domicile certificates in order to seek jobs in various industries.

Industries Minister Subhash Desai said that the condition of the domicile certificate has been introduced to ensure that the “sons of the soil” get jobs in the industries. “Having a domicile certificate is one of the conditions put forth to register on the portal. It will ensure the compliance of the existing norm that 80 per cent of the jobs should go to local youths in industries,” he added at the online inauguration of the portal.

“Also, we have created a mechanism to ensure that the youths get all possible assistance till they get jobs,” said Desai.

After the government relaxed lockdown norms last month, around 65,000 industrial units have started their operations in the state, employing over 15 lakh people. The launch of the portal is part of the ‘Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0’, which is to attract investments in the state and provide job opportunities to local residents.

On the ‘Mahajobs’ portal, the employers can post about their employee requirements while job seekers can register themselves with details such as their bio data, skills, experience, mobile number and domicile certificate among others. The employers and job seekers both can see the status of the job application received and the application sent out to the companies, respectively. Till 8 pm, officials said 13,300 job seekers and 147 employers have registered on the portal.

Desai said the portal will bridge the gap between the employers and the local workers. “We have selected 17 sectors, including engineering, logistics, chemical and information technology, as well as 950 businesses, to provide job opportunities. As per a survey conducted by the industry department, around 50,000 jobs are available in the state today and the number will keep increasing,” he added.

Uddhav, meanwhile, said that the government has allowed industries to resume operations in the state but a cautious approach is being taken in areas where the number of Covid-19 cases are on the rise.

“Migrant labourers from other states have gone back to their native places. Some have started returning while others are yet to return. This means jobs are available in the state. There are employment opportunities but no workers,” he added.

In May, speaking about the shortage of labourers in the state, Uddhav had urged the “sons of the soil” to come forward to grab the employment opportunities in the industries to rebuild Maharashtra.

“It is, to say in (PM) Narendra Modi’s language, to make Maharashtra Atma Nirbhar (self-reliant),” he had said. In June, he had again reached out to the “sons of the soil”, saying that local residents need to be given jobs at Metro and other infrastructure projects.

P Anbalagan, Chief Executive Office of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, said a mobile application of the portal is being developed.