Why in NEWS

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation chaired the 25th Central Zonal Council meeting in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Organized by the Inter-State Council Secretariat and the UP Government, the meeting addressed key regional and inter-state cooperation issues.

Key Concepts & Definitions

Term	Explanation
Zonal Councils	Statutory advisory bodies for regional cooperation, created in 1956
States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Law that reorganized Indian states and established five Zonal Councils
Cooperative Federalism	Coordination and collaboration between Centre and States
North Eastern Council (NEC)	Separate council for NE states, established under NEC Act, 1972

About Zonal Councils

Feature	Details
Legal Basis	Established under Sections 15–22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956
Nature	Statutory (not constitutional)
Objective	To foster cooperation among states and between Centre and States
First Proposed By	Jawaharlal Nehru (1956), post Fazal Ali Commission report
Number of Councils	5 + 1 (NEC)
Meeting Frequency	Regular meetings; 61 meetings in last 11 years

Zonal Council Composition

Role	Designation
Chairman	Union Home Minister (also NEC chairman)
Vice-Chairman	Chief Minister of a member state (annual rotation)
Members	Chief Ministers, LGs/Administrators, two state-nominated ministers
Advisors	NITI Aayog nominee, Chief Secretaries, Development Commissioners
Permanent Committee	Chief Secretaries of member states; screens issues before full council meets

Division of Zonal Councils

Council	States/UTs Included
Northern	Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chandigarh
Central	Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand
Eastern	Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Sikkim
Western	Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
Southern	Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
North Eastern Council	Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim

Functions and Objectives

Purpose	Key Areas of Discussion
Coordination Platform	Structured dialogue on inter-state and Centre–State issues
Law and Order	Speedy probe of sexual offences, Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs)
Infrastructure	Brick-and-mortar banking in remote areas, power sharing
Social Development	Education, nutrition, urban planning, and public health
Technology & Emergency	Emergency Response System (ERSS-112) implementation
Cooperative Sector	Regional development via strengthened cooperative institutions

In a nutshell

Memory Code: “ZONAL: Zones Of Nation Aligning Legally”

• Zones created for coordination
• Overseen by Union Home Minister
• Not constitutional, but statutory
• Aims to promote Centre–State harmony
• Legally backed by Reorganisation Act

Prelims Practice Questions

1. Which of the following Zonal Councils includes the state of Uttarakhand?
   A. Northern Zonal Council
   B. Central Zonal Council
   C. Eastern Zonal Council
   D. Western Zonal Council
2. Which of the following statements is correct about Zonal Councils?
   A. They are constitutional bodies
   B. They are established under the Planning Commission Act
   C. They are chaired by the President of India
   D. They are advisory bodies under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956
3. Which Council is not covered under the Zonal Councils created by the 1956 Act?
   A. Southern Zonal Council
   B. North Eastern Council
   C. Central Zonal Council
   D. Eastern Zonal Council

Mains Practice Questions

1. Discuss the role of Zonal Councils in strengthening cooperative federalism in India. (10 marks)
2. “Though advisory in nature, Zonal Councils play a pivotal role in addressing regional challenges.” Evaluate with examples. (15 marks)

Prelims Answers Table

Q No.	Answer	Explanation
1	B	Central Zonal Council includes UP, MP, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand
2	D	Zonal Councils are statutory advisory bodies under the 1956 Act
3	B	NEC was created under a separate Act in 1972, not under the 1956 Act