Amit Shah Arrives in Ranchi to Lead Eastern Zonal Council Meeting on July 10

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Ranchi on Wednesday night to lead the Eastern Zonal Council meeting scheduled for July 10. Around 70 representatives from Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal are expected to attend, according to an official. Shah landed at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi at approximately 10 pm amid tight security measures.

The Eastern Zonal Council meeting will address various issues, including the swift investigation of sexual offence cases and the establishment of fast-track special courts for their quick resolution. Discussions will also focus on providing banking facilities in every village and implementing the Emergency Response Support System, as stated by another official.

Security and Participation

Significant security arrangements have been put in place in Ranchi for the meeting. The council is also likely to discuss strengthening sectors like education, health, electricity, urban planning, and the cooperative system. These topics are of common interest to the participating states.

Jharkhand's delegation includes Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, Minister Deepak Birua, Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Principal Secretary Home Vandana Dadel, and DGP Anurag Gupta. Soren returned from New Delhi after a fortnight to attend the meeting.

Representation from Other States

Bihar will be represented by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Minister Vijay Choudhary, who have already reached Ranchi. Odisha's Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy CM Parvati Parida are also present for the meeting. West Bengal's representative is Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.

Jharkhand plans to raise concerns about Rs 1.36 lakh crore pending dues from PSUs like Coal India related to mining activities. Originally set for May 10, the meeting was postponed due to tensions between India and Pakistan.

Zonal Councils' Structure and Role

Under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, five zonal councils were formed in India. The Union Home Minister chairs these councils, with chief ministers, lieutenant governors, and administrators as members. Each year, a member state's chief minister acts as vice-chairperson on a rotating basis.

The governor nominates two ministers from each member state to the council. A permanent committee at the chief secretaries' level has been established for each zonal council. Issues proposed by states are first discussed by this committee before being presented at the zonal council meeting for further deliberation.

Advisory Role and Federalism

The zonal councils serve an advisory role but have become vital platforms for fostering mutual understanding and cooperation across various fields over recent years. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need to leverage cooperative and competitive federalism for the all-round development of the country," officials noted.

In the past 11 years, more than 60 meetings of various zonal councils and their permanent committees have taken place. These gatherings have proven instrumental in promoting collaboration among states.

With inputs from PTI