Shah to chair Central Zonal Council meet on May 19

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on May 19, officials said on Friday.

The chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh will take part in the Central Zonal Council meeting, they added.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai chaired a high-level review meeting at Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhawan in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar during the day to assess preparations for the event, an official release said.

“In the meeting, senior officials presented various issues to be proposed by the State Government for discussion during the council meeting. Sai instructed the administration to ensure all arrangements for the event are made in a coordinated and efficient manner without any shortcomings,” it added.

The role of States under the Central Zonal Council is crucial in achieving the vision of a developed India, the release quoted Sai as saying.

“The Central Zonal Council is unique as there are no disputes among its member States, which reflects a strong spirit of cooperation and coordination. Zonal councils have emerged as an effective platform for strengthening dialogue, cooperation and coordination among states and between the Centre and states on various issues,” he said.

Strong states build a strong nation, the CM said while asserting that zonal councils have been providing new direction to development, administrative coordination and national unity.

Calling the hosting of the meeting in Bastar a matter of pride for Chhattisgarh, Sai said organising a national-level event of such significance in the region reflects the State Government’s commitment towards development and new opportunities in Bastar.

“Peace has been restored in the Bastar region under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the region has now been moving on the path of development. The meeting of the Central Zonal Council will give fresh momentum to Bastar’s development,” Sai said.

Chhattisgarh, particularly its Bastar region, which had grappled with Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) for over four decades, was declared free of armed Maoists on March 31.