In his televised address to the people, a day afterthe state government extended the coronavirus-induced lockdowntill May 31, Thackeray said that 50,000 industrial units havealready resumed their activities in the state.
"I appeal to residents of green zones, especiallyyouths, to come forward to work in various industries and makethe state 'Atmanirbhar'," the chief minister said.
He said industries located under green zones--theareas with no coronavirus cases in recent past-- are resumingtheir activities in a graded manner.
"The state government has already given permission tosome 70,000 industries to restart while 50,000 units havealready started their work," Thackeray said, adding that aboutfive lakh workers have resumed their work in the state.
He said as migrant labourers have returned to theirnative states, local people should come forward and startworking in industrial units to take the state forward.
Thackeray also wooed industries for restarting theeconomy in the country's most industrialised state which hastaken a beating due to the COVID crisis.
"We have already reserved 40,000 acres of land for newindustries in the state," he said.
The CM said his government had cut down the number ofpermissions required to start a green industry, which he saidshould be environment-friendly and non-polluting.
"If industries cannot buy land for setting up plants,the state government is ready to lease it out," he said.
Speaking on the COVID-19 crisis, the chief ministersaid the state government has succeeded in slowing down thefurther spread of the viral infection.
"The chain is not broken but the speed ofinfection has been checked," he said, adding that the numberof people willing to give their services in fight againstCOVID should increase further. NDNSK NSK