Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced the setting up of a separate Divyang department for the welfare of differently-abled people with a fund allocation of Rs 1,143 crore.

Maharashtra is the first state to have such a department, Shinde said on Saturday addressing an event in Mumbai to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons.

"The government has created 2,063 posts for the new department which will formulate policies for the welfare of the disabled by taking into consideration views of the stakeholders," he said.

The decision to set up the Divyang department was approved by the state cabinet on November 29.

The sections looking into issues of Divyang (differently-abled) people under the Social Justice and Special Assistance department will be clubbed to form the new Divyang Welfare Department, the government had said.

Welfare activities of Divyang people like education, training, and rehabilitation were so far taken care of by the state social justice department.

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