Introduction
Published Date: December 15, 2022
Pursuant to the decision taken during the meeting of the Hon’ble Cabinet held on November 29, 2022, and in accordance with the notification issued by the General Administration Department on December 15, 2022, a new administrative department—the ‘Divyang Welfare Department’—has been established. According to the 2011 Census, there are 2,963,392 persons with disabilities in Maharashtra, constituting 2.63% of the state’s total population; this figure encompasses the following seven categories of disabilities.
The Department provides assistance through various schemes and initiatives aimed at enhancing the capabilities of persons with physical, intellectual, sensory, and developmental disabilities, thereby facilitating their integration into the social mainstream.
In accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, disabilities have been classified into 21 distinct categories. Examples include the deaf/hard of hearing, speech and hearing impaired, locomotor disabilities, intellectual disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, multiple disabilities, etc.
The Department provides specific services and facilities to persons with disabilities. These facilities include the issuance of Universal Disability Identity Cards, rehabilitation services, initiatives to promote education, and measures to generate employment and create job opportunities, among others.
