Maharashtra tries to help its jobless workers, sets up portal

In an attempt to fill the gap created by the migration of workers from the urban areas to their villages, the Skill Development Department of Maharashtra has set up a web portal. The objective is to help businesses who are looking for skilled or unskilled workers to find suitable workers from amongst the locals.

The portal, called www.mahaswayam.gov.in, offers the latest information on jobs available in public and private sectors. Industries and businesses can also register on the portal and state their manpower needs.

The idea is to facilitate the coming together of those establishments that are looking for workers and those jobless workers who are desperately in need of work. Job seekers and businesses can register on the portal free of cost. While the former can post their qualifications and skills, the latter can state their requirements in terms of manpower and the skills they are looking for.

Maharashtra experienced the largest exodus of migrant workers, with about 15 lakh workers returning to their villages in other states and several lakhs going back to their villages within Maharashtra itself. The portal will bring huge relief to those seeking work and to businesses, such as hotels, restaurants, construction, bakeries, and so on that rely heavily on labour. It will provide information pertaining to government jobs and skill development schemes rolled out by the state and the central government. It will also announce and give details of job fairs organised at different locations within the state.

Industries will not only be able to find suitable workers, they will also be able to use the portal to notify candidates, set up interviews, and even update the list of candidates selected or shortlisted.