J&K CM Omar Abdullah Likely to Attend
Nadeem Nadu
Srinagar, Nov 16 (KNC): Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will chair the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council on Monday, November 17, in Faridabad, Haryana, officials said.
Sources told news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC that Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is likely to attend the meeting along with senior officials of the Union Territory administration.
Meanwhile, according to a detailed statement issued by PIB as per news agency KNC, the Northern Zonal Council includes the States and UTs of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Chandigarh. Senior officials from the Government of India, state governments, and Union Territories will also participate in the session. The meeting is being organized by the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with the Government of Haryana as host.
The statement notes that under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, five Zonal Councils, including the Northern Zonal Council, were constituted. The Union Home Minister acts as the Council’s chairperson, while the Chief Minister of Haryana currently serves as vice-chairperson. Each year, the vice-chairpersonship rotates among member states. Two ministers from each member state are also nominated by their respective Governors, and permanent committees headed by Chief Secretaries examine issues before they are placed in the main Council meeting.
The PIB statement highlights that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “TEAM BHARAT” has strengthened the role of Zonal Councils, which now serve as key platforms for dialogue and coordination on issues affecting multiple states or the Centre state relationship.
While the Councils are advisory in nature, they have over the past several years become instrumental in enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding across sectors. Over 63 meetings of the various Zonal Councils and their permanent committees have been held in the last eleven years.
The Councils also act as an effective forum for resolving inter-state disputes and addressing shared concerns. Major national issues discussed in recent sessions include the speedy investigation of sexual offences, the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), expansion of banking facilities in every village, implementation of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), and strengthening of sectors such as nutrition, education, health, power supply, urban planning, and cooperative systems. (KNC)