Written by Alok DeshpandeMumbai | October 16, 2025 07:57 PM IST 2 min readThe document outlines strategic focus areas including promoting accessibility, ensuring equal opportunities and non-discrimination, enhancing education and skill development, strengthening health and rehabilitation systems, raising awareness, and promoting inclusion in sports and recreation. (Credit: Pixabay)With an aim to empower persons with disabilities (PwDs) and create an inclusive society, the Maharashtra government has released its first Vision, Mission, Objectives and Strategic Focus Areas document for the welfare of PwDs.The document outlines strategic focus areas including promoting accessibility, ensuring equal opportunities and non-discrimination, enhancing education and skill development, strengthening health and rehabilitation systems, raising awareness, and promoting inclusion in sports and recreation. It also emphasises monitoring and protection of rights, promoting research and innovation, and ensuring social and financial inclusion.Based on this vision paper, the state government will frame a comprehensive policy for persons with disabilities, incorporating its key objectives.“We have prepared the document with an aim of not only providing Divyang individuals with benefits of schemes but also to empower them to achieve their fullest potential and participate meaningfully in all aspects of life within a barrier-free, accessible, and compassionate society committed to equity and sustainable development,” said Tumakaram Mundhe, Secretary, Persons with Disabilities Welfare Department.A key objective of the document is the preferential inclusion of PwDs in poverty alleviation, housing, and social protection schemes, with existing 4 per cent reservation to strengthen socio-economic security. It also proposes assured social security support, including regular disability pensions and other entitlements.Among its strategic priorities, the document calls for promoting research, innovation, and standardisation in assistive and adaptive technologies through public–private partnerships, indigenous manufacturing, and universal design compliance to improve affordability and accessibility.It also stresses strict enforcement of non-discrimination policies across education, employment, and public service sectors to uphold equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. On the education and employment front, the paper recommends expanding targeted skill development and vocational training programmes with accessible learning environments and assistive technologies to promote employability and entrepreneurship.Story continues below this adOn the health front, it proposes equitable access to preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and mental healthcare services for persons with disabilities, with a special focus on victims of exploitation, neglect, and abuse, as well as abandoned children and elderly individuals.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:divyangMumbai