Mumbai/UNI: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday that approval has been given to establish a separate Scheduled Tribes (ST) Commission for Maharashtra on the lines of the central government.

A proposal to this effect was approved in the State Tribal Advisory Council meeting held on Wednesday, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister.

Along with this, various issues like reorganisation of scheduled areas of the state, provision of funds according to population, starting of project offices in talukas of tribal districts were discussed in this meeting.

The opinion of the Department of Law and Justice was taken on the establishment of an independent ST Commission for the state and the draft of the Act of this commission has been prepared by the Tribal Research and Training Institute.

It was approved for further action in the 51st meeting of the State Tribal Advisory Council held today.

A detailed discussion on the issue of allocation of funds for the Tribal department was held in the meeting.

According to which, the entire fund would be distributed for the department by the end of December, Shinde added.