Union Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing the 30th Meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Jaipur, Rajasthan today. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Delhi’s LG Vinai Kumar Saxena, Ladakh’s LG R. K. Mathur and Chandigarh’s Administrator Banvari Lal Purohit and senior officers are attending the meeting.
Issues like maintaining adequate water level in Bhakra and Pong dam, expediting investigation in rape cases, speedy disposal of cases under POCSO Act , optimum use of DBT in social security schemes, changing parameters of road construction in rural areas under PMGSY, curbing stubble burning, security, cyber crime, drug trade, mutual border dispute between states, road, transport, industries, water, power and other issues are being deliberated upon in the meeting.
The Northern Zonal Council comprises Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, Laddakh, Delhi and Chandigarh. The last meeting of NZC was held at Chandigarh in 2019.
Earlier today, State BJP leaders welcomed Mr Shah at the Jaipur airport on his arrival.
The meeting is being held in Jaipur after 25 years. The regional councils work under cooperative federalism and provide a forum for discussion in a structured manner on issues affecting one or more states or issues between the Centre and the States.
In the last eight years, under the guidance of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the number of meetings of the Zonal Councils and its Standing Committees have been increased by three times.
