Zonal Councils

The Union Home Minister recently remarked that Zonal Councils have transformed from being mere discussion forums into engines of cooperation, with 83% of the issues discussed in these meetings being resolved. The rise in meetings from 25 (2004-2014) to 63 (2014-2025) is an indicator of increased focus on inter-state and regional cooperation in recent years.

About Zonal Councils

The idea of Zonal Councils was first proposed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, in 1956. Their creation was aimed at addressing interstate disputes, facilitating cooperation among states, and ensuring balanced socio-economic development across regions.

Key Features of Zonal Councils:

1. Creation and Legal Basis:

   • Established under Sections 15-22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

   • The Zonal Councils are statutory bodies, meaning they have been created by law and are recognized in the Indian Constitution.

2. Objective:

   • To provide a common platform for the States and Union Territories (UTs) within each zone to resolve interstate and regional issues.

   • To foster balanced socio-economic regional development.

   • To build harmonious relations between the Centre and State Governments.

3. Zonal Council Structure:

   • The country is divided into five main Zonal Councils and the North Eastern Council.

Zonal Councils in India

1. Northern Zonal Council:

   • States Included: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

2. Central Zonal Council:

   • States Included: Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

3. Eastern Zonal Council:

   • States Included: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.

4. Western Zonal Council:

   • States Included: Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

5. Southern Zonal Council:

   • States Included: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.

6. North Eastern Council:

   • States Included: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Nagaland.

   • Special Case: Sikkim was included in the North Eastern Council via the North Eastern Council (Amendment) Act, 2002.

Role and Functioning of Zonal Councils

1. Advisory Role:

   • The Zonal Councils are primarily advisory bodies. They discuss issues of common interest to the states and UTs within the zone and advise the Central Government and the State Governments on actions to be taken.

2. Key Areas of Discussion:

   • Issues related to interstate disputes, such as boundary issues, river disputes, or resource sharing.

   • Matters of economic development, regional planning, infrastructure, and policy alignment.

   • Social welfare, environmental concerns, and public health.

3. Organizational Structure:

   • Chairman: The Union Home Minister serves as the Chairman of all Zonal Councils.

   • Vice Chairman: The Chief Ministers of the states in the zone serve as the Vice-Chairman. The vice-chairmanship rotates among the chief ministers, with each holding office for one year.

   • Members:

     • The Chief Minister and two other ministers from each of the states in the zone.

     • Two members from each Union Territory (UT) in the zone.

4. Standing Committee:

   • Each Zonal Council has a Standing Committee, composed of the Chief Secretaries of the member states, which meets regularly to:

     • Resolve issues.

     • Prepare groundwork for Zonal Council meetings.

     • Ensure efficient coordination between states.

5. Role of NITI Aayog and Other Senior Officials:

   • Senior officers from NITI Aayog (previously the Planning Commission), various Central Ministries, and State Governments are involved in Zonal Council meetings, depending on the specific issues being discussed.

Impact and Importance of Zonal Councils

1. Conflict Resolution:

   • Zonal Councils play an instrumental role in resolving disputes between states, especially on issues like water sharing, inter-state trade, and resource management.

2. Promoting Regional Cooperation:

   • They serve as a platform for states and UTs to cooperate on issues such as infrastructure development, regional planning, and socio-economic challenges.

3. Building Harmonious Centre-State Relations:

   • These councils help in fostering better relations between the Centre and states, making it easier to address local concerns in a collaborative manner.

4. Accelerating Development:

   • By discussing regional development needs, the Zonal Councils help in the formulation of regional plans, ensuring a more balanced development across the country.

Conclusion:

The Zonal Councils serve as essential mechanisms for addressing regional issues, promoting interstate cooperation, and fostering socio-economic development across India. With their increasing effectiveness, they are proving to be key drivers of regional harmony and balanced growth.