Zonal Councils in India

GS 2 – POLITY

Context: The Union Home Minister recently led the 27th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Pune.

Introduction to Zonal Councils

Zonal Councils were proposed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1956 to ease linguistic tensions and encourage inter-state cooperation.

Legal Framework: These councils were created as statutory advisory bodies under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

Purpose: Their primary goal is to strengthen coordination between the Centre and states, ensuring economic, social, and political stability.

Nature: These councils serve as deliberative and advisory platforms, with their recommendations being non-binding.

Criteria for Zonal Division

The formation of zonal councils was based on several key factors:

• Natural Divisions: Emphasizing geographical continuity and topography.
• River Systems & Connectivity: Facilitating collaboration on water resource management.
• Cultural & Linguistic Similarities: Promoting smoother social and administrative coordination.
• Economic & Security Concerns: Aiming for balanced development and efficient law and order management.

 

The Five Zonal Councils & Their Structure

Zonal Council	Headquarters	Member States/UTs
Northern	New Delhi	Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ladakh
Central	Allahabad	Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh
Eastern	Kolkata	Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha
Western	Mumbai	Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
Southern	Chennai	Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry

Composition of Zonal Councils

• Chairman: The Union Home Minister serves as the chairman for all zonal councils.
• Vice-Chairman: Each zone has a Chief Minister acting as the vice-chairman on a rotational basis for one year.
• Members Include:
  • Chief Ministers and two ministers from each participating state.
  • Administrators from Union Territories within the zone.
  • Representatives from NITI Aayog, Chief Secretaries, and Development Commissioners (as advisors without voting rights).
• Standing Committees: Consisting of Chief Secretaries from member states, these committees prepare agendas and discuss issues before the main council meetings.

North Eastern Council: A Special Body

• Legal Basis: Established through the North Eastern Council Act, 1971 (effective from 1972).
• Member States: Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Sikkim (joined in 2002).
• Leadership:
  • Chairperson: Union Home Minister.
  • Vice-Chairperson: Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER).
• Role: Functions similarly to other Zonal Councils but places added emphasis on coordinated regional planning and security reviews.

Functions and Significance of Zonal Councils

• Discussion Platform: Addresses inter-state and Centre-State issues like border disputes, concerns of linguistic minorities, and matters of state reorganisation.
• Promoting Cooperative Federalism: Encourages collaboration on policies, welfare schemes, and economic planning.
• Infrastructure & Economic Growth: Covers areas like industrial development, land acquisition, mining, and allocation of financial resources.
• Social Development: Focuses on key social issues including education, child malnutrition, school dropout rates, and healthcare.

Resolving Issues in Zonal Councils

• States initially bring up concerns during Standing Committee meetings.
• Unresolved matters are escalated to the main Zonal Council sessions.
• Decisions are made based on consensus, but they remain non-binding.