Faridabad, Nov 17 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, steering solution-oriented dialogue on important issues related to the Centre and the states to strengthen cooperative federalism. 

The meeting began with a tribute to the victims of the Delhi blast on November 10.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also attended the meeting and said on X, “Today, I participated in the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council under the chairmanship of the Honorable Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri @AmitShahJi.”

“The Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodiJi has made cooperative federalism a strong foundation for nation-building, The Northern Zonal Council is an extremely effective and result-oriented platform that brings that very idea to life on the ground,” she said.

“This council advances an open, constructive, and solution-oriented dialogue process on important issues related to the center and the states. The resolution of many complex issues is possible only through the collective participation of the Centre and several states, and this council further strengthens that collective effort,” said the Delhi Chief Minister.

Meetings of Zonal Councils have gained significance due to their agenda involving issues of national importance, including the speedy investigation of cases of sexual offences against women and children and the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) for their swift disposal.

Issues like providing brick-and-mortar banking facilities within the designated area of every village; implementation of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112); and various regional-level common interest issues, such as strengthening nutrition, education, health, electricity, urban planning, and the cooperative system, were also lined up for discussion, said a statement.

The Northern Zonal Council comprises the states/UTs of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Chandigarh.

Senior officials from the Centre, state governments, and union territories participated in the meeting, chaired by HM Shah.

This meeting was organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, with the Haryana government as its host.

The Union Home Minister is the chairperson of the Northern Zonal Council, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is its vice-chairperson.

The role of the Zonal Councils is advisory; however, over the past few years, these councils have proven to be an important factor in promoting healthy bonds of mutual understanding and cooperation in various fields.

Five Zonal Councils, including the Northern Zonal Council, were established under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

With the cooperation of all state governments, Central ministries, and departments, a total of 63 meetings of the various Zonal Councils and their permanent committees have been held in the last 11 years, said a statement.

The Zonal Councils provide a forum for resolving and progressing issues and disputes between the Centre and the Member States/UTs, among the Member States/UTs, and within the zone, it said.

--IANS