Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will chair the 27th meeting of the Western Zonal Council on Saturday, in Pune, Maharashtra. The Western Zonal Council includes Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. The meeting is hosted by the Government of Maharashtra and organized by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the state government.
Established in 1957 under the States Reorganization Act of 1956, the five Zonal Councils aim to promote cooperation between the Centre and States. The Union Home Minister chairs each council, while the Chief Ministers of the respective states serve as vice-chairmen on a rotational basis. Each council also includes two ministers from each state, nominated by the Governor, and has a Standing Committee at the level of Chief Secretaries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underscored the need to leverage cooperative and competitive federalism for the nation’s development. The Zonal Councils provide a platform for dialogue and collaboration on issues involving multiple states or the Centre and States. Under Amit Shah’s leadership, the role of Zonal Councils has evolved from an advisory body to an action-oriented platform, with meetings of Standing Committees organized regularly.
The Western Zonal Council will address topics such as the speedy investigation of sexual offenses, the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), the establishment of bank branches and India Post Payment Banks within five kilometers of each village, and the rollout of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112). Infrastructure, mining, environmental concerns, food security, and other regional issues will also be discussed.
National issues such as improving power operations, urban planning, reducing school dropout rates, enhancing nutrition through POSHAN Abhiyan, and strengthening healthcare through Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will be on the agenda. Additionally, the council will explore ways to bolster Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and address other matters of common interest.
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