Long-pending water issues discussed in 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting chaired by Amit Shah
These water-sharing and infrastructure matters have remained unresolved for years and were brought to the table in an effort to promote cooperation and find mutually agreeable solutions among the eastern states. The Eastern Zonal Council comprises Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, serving as a platform to address regional concerns through mediation with the Centre.
Along with this, issues related to division of assets and liabilities of many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) between Bihar and Jharkhand states, which were pending since the time of division of Bihar, were also discussed in detail and decisive steps were taken with mutual consent towards their resolution, a Home Ministry statement mentioned.
The 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council also addressed a wide range of national issues. These include implementation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) for speedy trial and speedy disposal of rape cases against women and children, brick-and-mortar banking facility within the designated radius of each village, implementation of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) and various issues of common interest at the regional level including nutrition, education, health, power, urban planning and strengthening of cooperative systems.
Addressing the meeting, the Home Minister said that 'Eastern states should make more efforts towards early implementation of three new criminal laws.'
He said that 'more work also needs to be done in the matter of narcotics in these states, for which district-level NCORD meetings should be held regularly.'
Shah also said that the 'four states of the eastern region should go beyond the traditional and structural framework in the field of skill training and prepare courses as per the need.'
The meeting was attended by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, and Chandrima Bhattacharya, West Bengal Finance Minister. Chief Secretaries and other senior officials of the member states and senior officials of the Central Government also participated in the meeting.
The meeting was organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Government of Jharkhand.
In his address, the Home Minister further said that in Operation Sindoor, our forces have made the whole world experience their valour, precision and bravery, and for their courage and valour, the Eastern Zonal Council unanimously passed a thanksgiving resolution for the bravery of the forces.
He said that from 2014 to 2025, the pace of organising these meetings has increased, and they have become more productive.
Union Home Minister also said that the Zonal Councils were conceived with the objective of making them a strong foundation of cooperative federalism. He said that the Zonal Councils have now become an actionable platform from an advisory one, and through these, we have been successful in resolving issues between the Centre and the states and among the states to a large extent.
Shah said between 2004 and 2014, a total of 25 zonal council meetings were held, while between 2014 and 2025, this number reached 63, more than double. He said that we have moved forward from an average of two to three meetings per year to holding on average six meetings per year.
Shah said that a total of 1,580 issues were discussed in these meetings, out of which 1287, i.e. 83 per cent, issues have been resolved, which is a matter of great satisfaction for all of us.
He said that the resolution of 83 per cent of issues in the meetings of zonal councils in the Modi government shows the significance of these meetings.
Five Zonal Councils were established under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Union Home Minister is the Chairman of the five Zonal Councils, and the Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors, Administrators of the Member States, Union Territories are its members, of whom the Chief Minister of one State from the Member States is the Vice-Chairman by rotation every year.
The Governor nominates two Ministers from each Member State as members of the Council. Each Zonal Council has also constituted a Standing Committee at the level of Chief Secretaries. The issues proposed by the states are first placed for discussion before the Standing Committee of the respective Zonal Council. After consideration in the Standing Committee, the remaining issues are placed for consideration in the meeting of the Zonal Council. (ANI)
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