Amit Shah to chair 32nd Northern Zonal Council meeting in Faridabad on November 17

New Delhi [India], November 15 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council on November 17 in Haryana's Faridabad to discuss a wide range of issues, including water sharing, reorganisation of states, development of infrastructure, land acquisition, and environmental and forest-related clearance.
Besides, regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme and other issues of common interest at the regional level are learnt to be discussed in the meeting to be attended by the Chief Ministers along with two senior ministers from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and the Lieutenant Governors and administrators of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh.
The matters linked to the Bhakra-Beas Management Board, affiliation with Punjab University, road construction work under the PMGSY, and canal projects discussed in the 31st meeting of the Northern Zonal Council appear to have been reviewed in the meeting.
Many issues of national importance are also discussed in the meeting. These include operationalization of Fast Track Special Courts (FSTC) for speedy investigation and speedy disposal of rape cases against women and children, facility of banks and India Post Payment Bank branches within 5 km of each village, creation of two lakh new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACSs) in the country, eliminating malnutrition among children through nutrition campaign, reducing the drop-out rate of school children, participation of government hospitals in Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB PM-JAY) and other issues of common interest at the national level.
One good practice from each state and the Union Territory selected by the Standing Committee will also be presented by the member states and the UTs in the meeting.
The meeting is being organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Government of Haryana.
The Chief Secretaries and other senior officers of the state governments and UTs, and senior officers of the Central government, will also participate in the meeting.
Since June 2014, more than 50 meetings of various Zonal Councils have been held.
Five Zonal Councils were established in 1957 under Section 15-22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of these five Zonal Councils while the Chief Ministers of the states and the administrators and Lieutenant Governors of the UTs included in the respective Zonal Council are its members. One of these members is designated as the Vice-Chairman by rotation each year. The Governor nominates two more ministers from each state as members of the council. Each Zonal Council has also constituted a Standing Committee at the level of Chief Secretaries.
Zonal Councils provide a platform to enhance cooperation through a systematic mechanism for regular dialogue and discussion on issues affecting two or more states or the Centre and the states.
Zonal Councils play an advisory role, but over the years, these councils have evolved into an important mechanism for promoting mutual understanding and cooperation across various fields. (ANI)