Latest news with #EasternZonalCouncil
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Why are Zonal Councils are important for your UPSC exam
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here's your UPSC polity current affairs knowledge nugget on the Zonal Councils and Inter-State Council. (Relevance: UPSC has asked questions on statutory and constitutional bodies. In 2013, the UPSC Prelims question was on councils that were not mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, the understanding of this topic is very important from your exam perspective.) Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 27th Eastern Zonal Council on Thursday (10th July) in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The Eastern Zonal Council consists of four eastern states — Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal. Shah said the number of zonal council meetings rose to 63 between 2014 and 2025 as compared to 25 between 2004 and 2014. Highlighting its significance, he said that zonal councils have transformed from being mere discussion forums into 'engines of cooperation', noting that 83% of issues taken up in their meetings have been resolved. 1. The idea of creation of Zonal Councils was mooted by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1956 when during the course of debate on the report of the States Reorganisation Commission, he suggested that the states proposed to be reorganised may be grouped into four or five zones having an Advisory Council 'to develop the habit of cooperative working' among these states, say the records of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). 2. In the light of the vision of Pandit Nehru, five Zonal Councils were set up as per Part III of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. They are statutory bodies. 3. The present composition of the Zonal Councils is as follows: ➣ The Eastern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West Bengal. ➣ The Northern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, National Capital Territory of Delhi, Union Territory of Chandigarh, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. ➣ The Central Zonal Council, comprising the States of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh; ➣ The Western Zonal Council, comprising the States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. ➣ The Southern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. 4. Along with this, the North Eastern Council (NEC) was constituted as a statutory advisory body under the NEC Act 1971 (84 of 1971) and came into being on the 7th November, 1972 at Shillong. It comprises Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland as its members. The state of Sikkim, which was earlier in the Eastern Zonal Council was included in the North Eastern Council in 2002. 5. The composition of each council is as follows: (a) The Union Home Minister is the chairman of each of these council. (b) The Chief Ministers of the states included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time. (c) The Chief Minister and two other ministers as nominated by the Governor from each of the states, and two members from Union Territories included in the zone. (d) One person nominated by the planning commission for each of the Zonal Councils, the Chief Secretaries, and another officer nominated by each of the states included in the Zone. 6. In 2018, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the nomination of the Union Home Minister as ex-officio chairman of the North Eastern Council and the Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) to serve as Vice Chairman of the Council. 7. The MHA has said that the Zonal Councils provide an excellent forum where irritants between the Centre and States and among states can be resolved through free and frank discussions and consultations. The councils act as regional forums of cooperative endeavour for states linked with each other economically, politically and culturally. Constitutional bodies are institutions or authorities whose powers, duties, and structures are explicitly defined in the Constitution. Their roles extend beyond mere administrative functions, as they are designed to serve as checks and balances on governmental power. The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body. Whereas, the Statutory bodies are institutions established by an act of Parliament or state legislatures, deriving their authority from legislation rather than directly from the Constitution. The Zonal Councils are statutory bodies. 1. The Inter-State Council was established under Article 263 of the Constitution, which states that the President may constitute such a body if a need is felt for it. The Council will be charged with the duty of — (a) inquiring into and advising upon disputes which may have arisen between States; (b) investigating and discussing subjects in which some or all of the States, or the Union and one or more of the States, have a common interest; or (c) making recommendations upon any such subject and, in particular, recommendations for the better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject, The Council is meant to serve as a forum for discussions among various governments. 2. Notably, the Inter-State Council is not a permanent constitutional body. In 1988, a Commission was constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice R. S. Sarkaria on the Centre-State relations. It suggested that — (a) A permanent Inter-State Council called the Inter-Governmental Council (IGC) should be set up under Article 263. (b) The IGC should be charged with the duties set out in clauses (b) and (c) of Article 263, other than socio-economic planning and development. 3. The Prime Minister is the chairman of the Council, whose members include the Chief Ministers of all states and UTs with legislative assemblies, and Administrators of other UTs. Six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Centre's Council of Ministers, nominated by the Prime Minister, are also its members. 4. The Inter-State Council has met eleven times since 1990. The last meeting was held in 2016, where the recommendations of the Punchhi Commission on Centre-State Relations, use of Aadhaar as an identifier, and use of DBT for providing Subsidies, Benefits, and Public Services were some of the prominent issues that were discussed. 5. The Standing Committee is also constituted to have continuous consultation and process matters for consideration of the Council; process all matters pertaining to Centre-State Relations before they are taken up for consideration in the Inter-State Council, and monitor the implementation of decisions taken on the recommendations of the Council. The Committee was last constituted in November 2024. Which of the following bodies does not/do not find mention in the Constitution? (UPSC CSE 2013) 1. National Development Council 2. Planning Commission 3. Zonal Councils Select the correct answer using the codes given below. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (Source: Zonal councils have transformed into engines of cooperation: Amit Shah, Established as 'antidote' to 'linguistic hostility and bitterness': what are zonal councils?, Explained: What is the Inter-State Council?, What are constitutional, statutory, and non-statutory bodies?, Expert Explains: How the Northeast was 'invented', 52 years ago) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Next year's Eastern Zonal Council meeting to be held in Puri: Odisha CM
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 11 (ANI): Next year the 28th Eastern Zonal Council meeting will be held in Odisha's Puri, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said. Majhi who returned to Bhubaneswar after attending the 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting held in Ranchi on Thursday said this in a statement to mediapersons at the airport. The Chief Minister said that he had proposed to hold this meeting in Odisha next year and this was accepted by Union Minister Amit Shah and all other members. It was announced in the meeting that it will be held in Puri. The Chief Minister said that the 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting covered Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha had successfully concluded. In particular, discussions were held on how to accelerate the social and economic development of the region and how to reach the unreached areas with the schemes. The role of all these states is important in fulfilling the goals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's developed India. The meeting focused on various successful schemes and programs to achieve the goals of developed India for the betterment of every section of society. The Chief Minister said that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has emphasised the need to completely eliminate Naxal activities from the country by March 31, 2026, and various ways to solve the Naxal problem were also discussed in this meeting. So far, considerable success has been achieved in this regard. The meeting thanked the Union Minister for the focused steps he is taking to solve this problem. The meeting also focused on ensuring that the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme reach everyone (Saturation Stage) and that all beneficiaries get their benefits. He said that he also briefed the meeting about the success of various schemes of Odisha. Information was given on various programs such as women empowerment, success of Shri Anna Yojana, success of Ayushman Bharat Yojana, etc. Chief Minister Majhi said that there is a need for further improvement in the banking services sector in Odisha. Banking services have not reached many areas. Therefore, he said that he has proposed in the meeting to take appropriate steps to provide banking services to more areas of Odisha. Deputy Chief Minister Parvathi Parida and Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling also attended the meeting. Many MLAs were present at the airport and gave the Chief Minister a grand welcome after he returned from Ranchi. (ANI)
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Odisha: Commuters face inconvenience as drivers' protest enters day 4
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 11 (ANI): Commuters in Odisha face inconvenience as transport services are disrupted due to the Odisha Driver Mahasangh entering its fourth day. The drivers of private buses, trucks, taxis and commercial vehicles have joined a strike since Tuesday over various demands, including the formation of a drivers' welfare fund, pension benefits after 60 years, legal protection from public hostility and designated parking lots and rest rooms with basic facilities every 100 km. Vice-President of Odisha Drivers Federation Santosh Sahu on Thursday said that the association demands government assistance to drivers in case of post-accident violence and inclusion of auto drivers in the Drivers Union. 'Today is the third day of our strike, and we will continue the strike till our demands are met. Our demands are parking and toilet facilities, government assistance to drivers in case of post-accident violence, inclusion of auto drivers in the Drivers Union, and 70% of the drivers should be from the state... There has been no clear assurance from the government on these demands,' he added. A passenger, Virendra Singh, said that everyone across the state is facing issues due to the protest, urging the government to resolve the drivers' demands. 'I had to pay extra Rs 1600 for my commute, as the transport services have been halted... The government must listen to the drivers' demands... Everyone across the state is facing issues,' he said. The strike has crippled transportation, leaving hundreds of people stranded at various bus stands. Fear of a fuel shortage has also led to long queues at fuel stations. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, after attending the 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting held in Ranchi, said that next year the 28th Eastern Zonal Council meeting will be held in Odisha's Puri. The Chief Minister said that he had proposed to hold this meeting in Odisha next year and this was accepted by Union Minister Amit Shah and all other members. It was announced in the meeting that it will be held in Puri. (ANI)
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Eastern Zonal Council to meet in Puri next year: CM Mohan Majhi
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday announced that the Eastern Zonal Council (EZC) meeting will be held in Puri next year. On his return from the EZC meeting held at Ranchi, Majhi said he requested Union Home minister Amit Shah to hold the meeting in Odisha, which he has agreed and suggested Puri as the venue. Majhi said the EZC meeting on the day was successful and focused on accelerating social and economic development in the region comprising Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar. The meeting prioritised reaching out to inaccessible areas and promoting development in those regions. He also highlighted the importance of providing banking facilities to areas that still lack access to such services. Stating that these four states have an important role to play in achieving the Viksit Bharat goal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Majhi said discussions were held on how to achieve the target. The states also discussed the issues of Naxalism and congratulated the Home minister for the success in reducing their presence through his focused approach to eliminate the menace. The chief minister said he has urged the Centre to direct commercial banks at the apex level to open brick and mortar (B&M) branches in the unbanked gram panchayats (GPs) in view of the low geographical penetration of the banking system in the state. Necessary steps should also be taken for redressal of the internet connectivity issues at the GP level for encouraging banks to open B&M branches. Speaking at the meeting, he pointed out that of 6,794 GPs in the state, only 2,421 have B&M branches while the banks do not have any presence in the remaining 4,373. Though 42,035 fixed point banking correspondents (BCs) are operating in the state as on December 31, 2024, these have high attrition and their own limitations in terms of services offered and cash handling, he added.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
CM urges Centre to ask banks to open branches in all GPs
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday urged the Centre to ask all banks at their apex level to open branches in unbanked gram panchayats (GPs) in the State. Majhi made this appeal to the Centre while participating in the 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Ranchi. He said out of 6,794 gram panchayats in Odisha, only 2,421 GPs have brick and mortar branches. The remaining 4,373 GPs do not have any brick and mortar branch. Noting that the geographical penetration of banks in Odisha is quite low, the Chief Minister said there are 42,035 fixed point BCs (banking correspondents) operating in the State as on December 2024. However, BCs have their own limitation in terms of services offered and cash handling, he said. Besides, network issues also impede BC operations in the remote areas, Majhi said. He said the banks were not following uniform guidelines for paying commission to the BCs based on the services offered by them. The IPPB (India Post Payments Bank) has only 33 branches and 8,929 facility access points in the State. However, they are not covering all unbanked GPs in the State, Majhi said. Therefore, in order to meet the banking needs in unbanked/under banked GPs, the Odisha government, in collaboration with six public sector banks, has launched a scheme for providing banking services to all unbanked GPs of the State through CSP (Customer Service Point) plus banking outlets, the Chief Minister said. Odisha is the only State in the country to adopt such a unique model of financial inclusion, he said. The CSP-plus banking outlets are providing major banking services just like a brick and mortar branches, Majhi said, adding that so far, 2,742 CSP plus banking outlets have been opened in 2,742 unbanked GPs covering all 30 districts. The remaining 1,631 unbanked GPs will be covered by CSP plus banking outlets soon, he said. The Chief Minister also said that the Odisha government was making necessary arrangements for providing electricity connection and internet connectivity for smooth functioning of the CSP plus banking outlets in all unbanked GPs of the State. The State is also bearing the one-time fixed cost component, including banking space and monthly recurring cost for specified items for first three years since opening of CSP plus banking outlets, he said. Majhi requested the Central government to advise all banks at their apex level to open brick and mortar branches in unbanked GPs in Odisha.
