New Delhi, Aug 19: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu and West Bengal during which he will chair 31st meeting of Southern Zonal Council in Mahabalipuram and lay foundation stone for various border security projects in Siliguri, officials said Wednesday.
The home minister will chair the meeting of the Southern Zonal Council on Thursday followed by prayers at the shore temple there in the evening.
The Southern Zonal Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Keralam, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is the Vice Chairman of the Southern Zonal Council.
The meeting will be attended by the chief ministers, lieutenant governors and administrators of the member states and Union Territories of the southern region, along with two senior ministers from each state.
“The chief secretaries/advisors and other senior officers of the State Governments, as well as senior officers of the Central Government, will also participate in the meeting,” a government statement said.
“The chief ministers of the member states serve as the vice-chairman of the Council by rotation. The 31st meeting is being organized by the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, with the Government of Tamil Nadu as the host,” it said.
Under the mechanism, the Zonal Council has also constituted a standing committee at the level of chief secretaries.
“Issues proposed by the states are submitted for discussion before the Zonal Council’s standing committee and after deliberation there, the remaining issues are placed before the Zonal Council meeting for consideration,” the statement said.
Shah would then proceed to Siliguri in West Bengal where he will lay foundation stone for various border security projects on Friday and interact with the personnel of Sashastra Seema Bal, the officials said.
The home minister will also inaugurate an exhibition on the three new laws on Friday evening, they said, adding he would also chair a border security related meeting in the city on Saturday.
Five Zonal Councils, including the Southern Zonal Council, have been established under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
Providing a structured mechanism for dialogue and discussion on issues affecting two or more states, or the Centre and the states, they serve as a platform to foster mutual cooperation. With role of advisory in nature, these councils over the past few years “have proved to be an important factor in fostering healthy bond of mutual understanding and cooperation across various regions”.
“Under the leadership of PM Modi, Zonal Council meetings have evolved into a powerful platform for finding solutions through dialogue,” the statement said.
A total of 69 meetings of the various Zonal Councils and their standing committees have been held in the last 12 years, since June 2014 till now.
The discussions also hover around “broad issues of national importance”, which include the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts for the speedy investigation and early disposal of cases of rape against women and children, as well as issues related to education, among others, the statement said.
“In addition, various issues of common interest at the regional level are covered, such as issues related to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, issues concerning important projects related to water sharing and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), and issues related to civil aviation,” it said.
