Maharashtra government has issued a new set of instructions making it mandatory for owners of the closed textile mills in Mumbai to offer an alternative job to the laid off workers or one member of their families.

According to Mohan Joshi, MLC from Pune who had raised a question in this regard in the just-concluded state legislature session, a GR (government resolution) to this effect has been issued.

The GR was issued after a meeting held recently in the chamber of Assembly Speaker Shivajirao Deshmukh, and attended by among others Textile Minister Naseem Khan and officials of National Textiles Corporation.

The GR, dated May 11, 2010, a copy of which was circulated to the media here, states that a time-bound programme will be implemented to complete the scheme under which the affected workers are to register their names at employment exchange centres by May 31, 2010.

The department of employment should collect necessary information in respect of job potential at the "diversified activities" run on the campuses of the closed mills, the GR says.

The urban development department has been asked to prepare a list of those mill owners or developers who express their inability to offer jobs despite having such a potential to absorb the workers.

A final review of the alternative jobs programme for the mill workers would be made on July 31, 2010, as per directions of the Chief Minister.

Joshi, in a statement, hailed chief minister Ashok Chavan for initiating a time-bound approach to the long pending issue of job absorption of the Mumbai mill workers.