NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah will chair the 31st meeting of the southern zonal council (SZC) — which comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Keralam, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and the Union territories of Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands — at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu on Thursday, with discussions likely to delve into Centre-state and inter-state issues related to water sharing, education and setting up of fast track special courts for the speedy investigation and trial of rape cases, among others.On Friday and Saturday, Shah will visit Siliguri, West Bengal. He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various projects related to border security. Later, he will interact with personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal posted in Siliguri and inaugurate an exhibition on the three criminal laws. On Saturday morning, Shah will wind up his visit by chairing a border security review meeting.The Union home minister is chairperson of the southern zonal council, while Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay is its current vice-chairperson. Among others who will attend the SZC meeting are chief ministers/lieutenant governors/administrators of the member states/UTs, along with two senior ministers from each state. The chief secretaries/advisors and other senior officers of the state governments and the Central government will also participate in the deliberations.
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MHA in a statement on Wednesday said the zonal councils provide an excellent forum for resolving issues and disputes between the Centre and the member states/Union territories, among the member states/Union territories, and within the region. These councils also discuss broad issues of national importance, covering various issues of common interest at the regional level, such as issues related to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, important projects related to water sharing, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), and civil aviation matters.According to the MHA spokesperson, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has envisioned ‘Team Bharat’ for the nation, on the basis of cooperative federalism, and the zonal councils are making significant contributions in this direction.With the cooperation of all state governments, Central ministries and departments, a total of 69 meetings of the various zonal councils and their standing committees have been held in the last approximately 12 years since June 2014.
