Introduction
The Social Welfare Department was formed in March 1972 by splitting the Education and Social Welfare Departments. As per the General Administration Department Notification No. ROB-1083.43.18;O&M dated 22 April 1943, the Social Welfare, Cultural Affairs and Sports Department was split from 1 May 1983 and the subjects related to the Tribal Department were transferred to the newly formed Tribal Development Department and the name of this department was Social Welfare, Cultural Affairs and Sports and Tourism Department. Thereafter, as per the Government Notification General Administration Department No. RVOB-1093.280 CR-18.93.18 dated 27 April 1993, the subject of Tourism was transferred to the Home Department. A separate department, Women and Child Welfare Department, was created under Government Notification No. R Vovi/1093/CR-66.93.18 dated 24 June 1993. Also, the Government of Maharashtra divided the Social Welfare Department and established a separate department, Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Nomadic Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, Special Backward Classes, from 10 March 1999.