# Ministry of Social Justice (Maharashtra)

The Ministry of Social Justice is a ministry of the Government of Maharashtra. It is responsible for welfare, social justice and empowerment of disadvantaged and marginalized sections of society.
The Ministry is headed by a cabinet level minister. Sanjay Shirsat is current Minister of Social Justice.

## Cabinet Ministers

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Constituency) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Chief Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Constituency) | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Chief Minister |
| Minister of Social Welfare or Social Justice ||||||||||
| 01 | | | T. R. Narawane (MLA for Kurla Constituency No. 174- Mumbai Suburban District) (Legislative Assembly) | 01 May 1960 | 07 March 1962 | 1 year, 310 days | Indian National Congress | Yashwantrao I | Yashwantrao Chavan |
| 02 | | | Niramala Raje Bhosale (MLA for Satara Constituency No. 268- Satara District) (Legislative Assembly) | 08 March 1962 | 19 November 1962 | 256 days | Indian National Congress | Yashwantrao II | Yashwantrao Chavan |
| 03 | | | Niramala Raje Bhosale (MLA for Satara Constituency No. 268- Satara District) (Legislative Assembly) | 20 November 1962 | 24 November 1963 | 1 year, 4 days | Indian National Congress | Kannamwar l | Marotrao Kannamwar |
| 04 | | | P. K. Sawant (MLA for Chiplun Constituency No. 265- Ratnagiri District) (Legislative Assembly) (Interim Chief Minister) | 25 November 1962 | 04 December 1963 | 9 days | Indian National Congress | Sawant I | P. K. Sawant |
| 05 | | | Niramala Raje Bhosale (MLA for Satara Constituency No. 268- Satara District) (Legislative Assembly) | 05 December 1963 | 01 March 1967 | 3 years, 86 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao I | Vasantrao Naik |
| 06 | | | Pratibha Patil (MLA for Jalgaon City Constituency No. 13- Jalgaon District) (Legislative Assembly) | 01 March 1967 | 13 March 1972 | 5 years, 12 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao II | Vasantrao Naik |
| 07 | | | Vasantrao Naik (MLA for Pusad Constituency No. 81- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) | 13 March 1972 | 04 April 1973 | 1 year, 32 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao III | Vasantrao Naik |
| 08 | | | Pratibha Patil (MLA for Jalgaon City Constituency No. 13- Jalgaon District) (Legislative Assembly) | 04 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | 347 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao III | Vasantrao Naik |
| 09 | | | Rafique Zakaria (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 16 - Mumbai Suburban District) (Legislative Council) | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | 341 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao III | Vasantrao Naik |
| 10 | | | Pratibha Patil (MLA for Jalgaon City Constituency No. 13- Jalgaon District) (Legislative Assembly) | 21 February 1975 | 16 April 1977 | 2 years, 54 days | Indian National Congress | Shankarrao I | Shankarrao Chavan |
| 12 | | | Dadasaheb Rupwate (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 11 - Ahmednagar District) (Legislative Council) | 17 April 1977 | 07 March 1978 | 1 year, 324 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantdada I | Vasantdada Patil |
| 13 | | | Ramrao Adik (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 05 - Ahmednagar District) (Legislative Council) | 07 March 1978 | 18 July 1978 | 133 days | Indian National Congress (U) | Vasantdada II | Vasantdada Patil |
| 14 | | | Govindrao Adik (MLA for Shrirampur Constituency No. 220- Ahmednagar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 18 July 1978 | 17 February 1980 | 1 year, 214 days | Indian Congress (Socialist) | Pawar I | Sharad Pawar |
| 15 | | | Pramilaben Yagnik (MLC for Governor Nominated No. 11 - Nagpur District) (Legislative Council) | 09 June 1980 | 09 March 1981 | 273 days | Indian National Congress | Antulay | Abdul Rahman Antulay |
| 16 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 09 March 1981 | 21 January 1982 | 318 days | Indian National Congress | Antulay | Abdul Rahman Antulay |
| 17 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 21 January 1982 | 02 February 1983 | 1 year, 12 days | Indian National Congress | Bhosale | Babasaheb Bhosale |
| 17 | | | Pratibha Patil (MLA for Jalgaon City Constituency No. 13- Jalgaon District) (Legislative Assembly) | 07 February 1983 | 05 March 1985 | 2 years, 26 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantdada III | Vasantdada Patil |
| 18 | | | Sudhakarrao Naik (MLA for Pusad Constituency No. 81- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) | 12 March 1985 | 03 June 1985 | 83 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantdada IV | Vasantdada Patil |
| 19 | | | Sudhakarrao Naik (MLA for Pusad Constituency No. 81- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) | 03 June 1985 | 12 March 1986 | 282 days | Indian National Congress | Nilangekar | Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar |
| 20 | | | Balachandra Bhai Sawant (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 09 - Ratnagiri District) (Legislative Council) | 12 March 1986 | 26 June 1988 | 2 years, 106 days | Indian National Congress | Shankarrao II | Shankarrao Chavan |
| 21 | | | Sudhakarrao Naik (MLA for Pusad Constituency No. 81- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) | 26 June 1988 | 02 January 1989 | 221 days | Indian National Congress | Pawar II | Sharad Pawar |
| 22 | | | Narendra Marutrao Kamble (MLC for Elected by Governor Nominated No. 10 - Mumbai City District) (Legislative Council) | 02 January 1989 | 03 March 1990 | 1 year, 60 days | Indian National Congress | Pawar II | Sharad Pawar |
| 23 | | | Ramdas Athawale (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 11 - Sangli District) (Legislative Council) | 04 March 1990 | 25 June 1991 | 1 year, 113 days | Republican Party of India (Athawale) | Pawar III |
| 24 | | | Ramdas Athawale (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 11 - Sangli District) (Legislative Council) | 25 June 1991 | 22 February 1993 | 1 year, 242 days | Republican Party of India (Athawale) | Sudhakarrao | Sudhakarrao Naik |
| 25 | | | Ramdas Athawale (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 11 - Sangli District) (Legislative Council) | 06 March 1993 | 14 March 1995 | 2 years, 8 days | Republican Party of India (Athawale) | Pawar IV | Sharad Pawar |
| 26 | | | Babanrao Gholap (MLA for Deolali Constituency No. 126- Pune District) (Legislative Assembly) | 14 March 1995 | 31 January 1999 | 3 years, 323 days | Shiv Sena | Joshi | Manohar Joshi |
| 27 | | | Babanrao Gholap (MLA for Deolali Constituency No. 126- Pune District) (Legislative Assembly) | 01 February 1999 | 17 October 1999 | 258 days | Shiv Sena | Rane | Narayan Rane |
| 28 | | | Chhagan Bhujbal (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 09 - Mumbai City District) (Legislative Council) (Deputy Chief Minister) | 19 October 1999 | 03 May 2001 | 1 year, 194 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Deshmukh I | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 29 | | | Jaywantrao Awale (MLA for Vadgaon Maval Constituency No. 192- Pune District (Legislative Assembly) | 03 May 2001 | 16 January 2003 | 1 year, 257 days | Indian National Congress | Deshmukh I | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 30 | | | Chhagan Bhujbal (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 09 - Mumbai City District) (Legislative Council) (Deputy Chief Minister | 18 January 2003 | 23 December 2003 | 346 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Sushilkumar | Sushilkumar Shinde |
| 31 | | | Chhagan Bhujbal (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 09 - Mumbai City District) (Legislative Council) | 23 December 2003 | 01 November 2004 | 314 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Sushilkumar | Sushilkumar Shinde |
| 32 | | | Vilasrao Deshmukh (MLA for Latur City Constituency No. 235- Latur District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) | 01 November 2004 | 09 November 2004 | 8 days | Indian National Congress | Deshmukh II | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 33 | | | Chandrakant Handore (MLA for Chembur Constituency No. 173- Mumbai Suburban District (Legislative Assembly) | 09 November 2004 | 01 December 2008 | 4 years, 22 days | Indian National Congress | Deshmukh II | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 34 | | | Chandrakant Handore (MLA for Chembur Constituency No. 173- Mumbai Suburban District (Legislative Assembly) | 08 December 2008 | 06 November 2009 | 333 days | Indian National Congress | Ashok I | Ashok Chavan |
| 35 | | | Shivajirao Moghe (MLA for Arni Constituency No. 80- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) | 07 November 2009 | 10 November 2010 | 1 year, 3 days | Indian National Congress | Ashok II | Ashok Chavan |
| 36 | | | Patangrao Kadam (MLA for Palus-Kadegaon Constituency No. 285- Sangli District) (Legislative Assembly) | 11 November 2010 | 26 September 2014 | 3 years, 319 days | Indian National Congress | Prithviraj | Prithviraj Chavan |
| 37 | | | Vishnu Savara (MLA for Vikramgad Constituency No. 129- Palghar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 31 October 2014 | 05 December 2014 | 35 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis I | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 38 | | | Rajkumar Badole (MLA for Arjuni-Morgaon Constituency No. 63- Gondiya District) (Legislative Assembly) | 05 December 2014 | 16 June 2019 | 4 years, 193 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis I | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 39 | | | Suresh Khade (MLA for Miraj) Constituency No. 281- Sangli District (Legislative Assembly) | 16 June 2019 | 12 November 2019 | 149 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis I | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 40 | | | Devendra Fadnavis (MLA for Nagpur South West Constituency No. 52- Nagpur District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) (In Charge) | 23 November 2019 | 28 November 2019 | 5 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis II | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 41 | | | Chhagan Bhujbal (MLA for Yevla Constituency No. 119- Nashik District) (Legislative Assembly) | 28 November 2019 | 30 December 2019 | 32 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Thackeray | Uddhav Thackeray |
| 42 | | | Dhananjay Munde (MLA for Parli Constituency No. 233- Beed District) (Legislative Assembly) | 30 December 2019 | 29 June 2022 | 2 years, 181 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Thackeray | Uddhav Thackeray |
| 43 | | | Eknath Shinde (MLA for Kopri-Pachpakhadi Constituency No. 147- Thane District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) (In Charge) | 30 June 2022 | 14 August 2022 | 45 days | Shiv Sena (Shinde Group) | Eknath | Eknath Shinde |
| 44 | | | Eknath Shinde (MLA for Kopri-Pachpakhadi Constituency No. 147- Thane District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) | 14 August 2022 | 26 November 2024 | 2 years, 104 days | Shiv Sena (Shinde Group) | Eknath | Eknath Shinde |
| 45 | | | Devendra Fadnavis (MLA for Nagpur South West Constituency No. 52- Nagpur District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief_Minister) In Charge | 05 December 2024 | 21 December 2024 | 16 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis III | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 46 | | | Sanjay Shirsat (MLA for Aurangabad West Constituency No. 108- Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar District Also Previously Known Aurangabad District (Legislative Assembly) | 21 December 2024 | Incumbent | 69 days | Shiv Sena (Shinde Group) | Fadnavis III | Devendra Fadnavis |

## Ministers of State

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Deputy Minister (Constituency) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Minister | Chief Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Deputy Minister (Constituency) | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Minister | Chief Minister |
| Deputy Minister of Social Justice |||||||||||
| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 23 November 2019 | 28 November 2019 | 5 days | NA | Fadnavis II | Devendra Fadnavis | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 01 | | | Vishwajeet Kadam (MLA for Palus-Kadegaon Constituency No. 285- Sangli District) (Legislative Assembly) | 30 December 2019 | 29 June 2022 | 2 years, 181 days | Indian National Congress | Thackeray | Dhananjay Munde | Uddhav Thackeray |
| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 30 June 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 243 days | NA | Eknath | Eknath Shinde | Eknath Shinde |

## History

The ministry was formed in 1928. The Welfare Department was established in 1932. The Social Welfare Directorate was created on 23 September 1957.

## Institutions

Several institutes are started by the ministry for marginalized sections of society.
* Ashram Schools
* Residential Schools
* Hostels
* Institutions for person with disability