NEW DELHI: With the gradual easing of COVID-19- related restrictions and an increase in movement, there is likely to be more than a 50percent rise in the demand for blue-collar workers across the top four industrialized states – Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, according to a report. As per the report by the technology platform for blue-collar workforce management BetterPlace, there is likely to be seven million new blue-collar jobs (50percent jump as compared to the first half of this year) in the second half of 2021 in Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to drive demand. Maharashtra is expected to be the largest contributor, accounting for 17percent of the demand, it added. The report is based on data from the first six months of 2021 and spans hiring trends and projections across more than 1,500 customers, 10 million employees and 20,000 PIN codes. "Since the onset of the pandemic, the country has witnessed a steep fall in employment. The worst-hit was the blue-collar workforce, which struggled to retain jobs or secure opportunities," BetterPlace CEO Pravin Agarwala said. Agarwala said the report shows that the impact of the second COVID-19 wave on jobs was not as severe as the first with the overall job demand rising marginally. In time, the demand is likely to reach pre-COVID-19 levels, which was 104percent by 2019," BetterPlace CEO Pravin Agarwala said. Adani Ports gets approval to buy 10.4 pc stake in Gangavaram Port for Rs.640-Cr NSE bans members from selling digital gold by September 10 Walmart sees USD 1 trillion retail markets in India by 2025: CEO