Home Minister Amit Shah to Chair 25th Central Zonal Council Meet in Varanasi on June 24

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 25th Central Zonal Council meeting in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on June 24. This key gathering will bring together chief ministers from the member states—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand—along with two senior ministers from each state. Top officials, including chief secretaries of these states and senior central government representatives, will also participate. In collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government, the Home Ministry's Inter-State Council Secretariat is organising the event.

What Is the Central Zonal Council?

India is divided into five zonal councils under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The Union Home Minister heads each of these councils, while the member states’ chief ministers, administrators, and lieutenant governors serve as council members.

In the Central Zonal Council, the chief minister of one state acts as vice-chairperson, rotating annually. Two ministers from each state are also nominated by the state governor to be part of the council. A permanent committee of chief secretaries helps review and prepare issues ahead of the main meeting.

The councils aim to foster cooperation among states and between states and the Centre. Although they hold only advisory powers, they have proven useful for resolving inter-state matters and improving policy coordination.

Focus Areas of Discussion

These council meetings typically address a range of critical national and regional issues, such as:

* Fast-tracking legal cases involving women and children
* Expanding banking services in rural villages
* Improving emergency services (like ERSS-112)
* Boosting health, nutrition, education, power supply, and urban planning

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasized cooperative and competitive federalism as key to India’s growth. Over the past 11 years, 61 council and committee meetings have been held, reflecting ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between the Centre and the states. The upcoming meeting in Varanasi is expected to carry forward this mission of collaborative governance for India’s development.