CZC meet: Increase revenue of gram panchayats, Amit Shah tells member states
Ensure eradication of child malnutrition, bring dropout ratio down to zero and strengthen the cooperative sector, says home minister in Varanasi
VARANASI Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Central Zonal Council (CZC) is the only regional council where no issue or dispute exists between member states, calling it “a significant achievement”.
“All member states of the council should ensure the eradication of child malnutrition, bring the dropout ratio down to zero and strengthen the cooperative sector,” Shah said while chairing the 25th meeting of the CZC in Varanasi, as per a government statement.
The meeting discussed regional law and order, border security, disaster response and environmental protection with chief ministers and senior officials of four states on Tuesday.
It was attended by UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai, among others, the release stated.
At the beginning of the meeting, Shah moved a resolution to commend “the strong willpower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the valour of the Indian Armed Forces”, which was unanimously approved by the council.
“The member states of the CZC have a crucial role to play in achieving Prime Minister Modi’s goal of building a developed India by 2047,” Shah said.
The home minister said while only 11 meetings of zonal councils and 14 meetings of the standing committees of the zonal councils were held between 2004 and 2014, a total of 28 zonal council meetings and 33 standing committee meetings were held between 2014 and 2025 — marking a twofold increase. He also highlighted that 1,287 issues were resolved in these meetings so far, which is “historic and encouraging”.
Shah also urged member states to increase the income of gram panchayats and to formulate rules for this purpose. He said enhancing the income of panchayats would make India’s three-tier democratic Panchayati Raj system more effective.
A total of 19 issues were discussed in the CZC meeting on Tuesday, including several matters of national importance, said the statement. These included the implementation of fast track special courts (FTSCs) for the speedy investigation and prompt disposal of rape cases against women and children, provision of brick-and-mortar banking facilities within the designated radius of every village and implementation of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), among other key issues.
The last meeting of the council was held in October 2023, in Uttarakhand. Zonal councils provide a structured mechanism for dialogue and discussion on issues affecting two or more states or the Centre and states, and serve as an important platform to enable cooperation.
Shah, who arrived in Varanasi on Monday for a two-day visit, led discussions with the chief ministers of the four states and other senior officials.
In a post on X, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified cooperative and competitive federalism as a powerful medium for the holistic development of the country. In this spirit, I participated in the 25th Central Zonal Council meeting chaired by Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah in Varanasi.”
“During the meeting, I requested increased support through the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to strengthen road, communication and security infrastructure in the border areas. I also stressed the need for faster expansion of BharatNet and satellite communication services under the Vibrant Village Programme,” Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami posted on X.
Dhami said he requested that the grant process under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana be simplified, called for the repealing of the 1989 Remote Valley Notification and asked for additional central assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to repair roads damaged during natural disasters during monsoon in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand.
He also requested the Centre’s support for “setting up a glacier research centre, biodiversity conservation institute and an international adventure sports training centre.” “Additionally, I sought assistance for successfully organizing the Nanda Raj Jat Yatra (2026) and the 2027 Kumbh Mela,” he added.
Dhami stated that the state government is working towards making Uttarakhand an active contributor in building ‘Viksit Bharat’. MP CM Mohan Yadav said the discussion focused on cooperation between states, development, security, health and tourism.
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai said the meeting saw detailed discussions on a range of critical issues and described it as a key step towards “cooperative and competitive federalism”.
Earlier in the morning, Yadav and Sai offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple ahead of the meeting. There are five zonal councils in the country that are statutory bodies set up under the States Re-organisation Act, 1956, to provide a common meeting ground to the states and Union Territories in each zone for resolution of inter-state and regional issues, fostering balanced socio-economic regional development and building harmonious Centre-state relations.
