Mumbai, Nov. 8 -- Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday celebrated Diwali with differently-abled people, describing the occasion as a joyous and unique experience, and said the state government had taken several decisions to bring them into the mainstream.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Shinde said an independent Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) was established during his tenure as Chief Minister. He added that several people had also been provided jobs to help them sustain their families.

"I celebrated Diwali with the Divyangs today. This is huge for me. Divyangs are an important part of society. To bring them to the mainstream, we made several decisions. When I was the Chief Min...