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During the meet, topics such as education, health services, water and electricity supply, and urban planning were discussed.
Union Home MInister with Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini (Credits: X)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday presided over the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, where a wide range of issues concerning states and Union territories in the region were taken up for discussion.
The council includes Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh. Chief ministers and senior representatives from these regions attended the meeting in New Delhi.
Among those present were Haryana Chief Minister Rare Singh Saini, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh SukhuPunjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and J&K’s Omar Abdullah. Chandigarh Administrator and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand I’malong with Lieutenant Governors Manoj Sinha and V K Saxena, were also part of the gathering.
At the start of the meeting, a minute of silence was observed in memory of those who died in the November 10 blast near the Red Fort. Senior officials from the Centre, state governments and Union territories also joined the session.
Key Issues Discussed
Chaired the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council. Realizing Modi Ji’s vision of ‘strong state, strong nation,’ the zonal councils have ensured policy synergy among states through dialogue, cooperation, and coordination, fueling India on the path to regional strength,… pic.twitter.com/ArP4EJPNNz— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 17, 2025
The council reviewed several pressing matters related to the region. Topics such as education, health services, water and electricity supply, and urban planning were discussed. The meeting also focused on improving coordination for faster investigations in cases of sexual offences against women and children, and the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts.
Officials said regional concerns like strengthening nutrition programmes, improving the cooperative sector and addressing administrative challenges were also part of the agenda.
Role And Structure Of Council
The Northern Zonal Council is one of five such bodies created under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. These councils provide a platform where the Centre and states can discuss shared issues and iron out differences. The Union home minister serves as the chairperson, while the vice-chairperson is a chief minister from one of the member states on a rotational basis.
Each state nominates two ministers to the council, and a permanent committee made up of chief secretaries supports the body. Issues raised by states are first reviewed by the permanent committee, and unresolved matters are then placed before the full council for further discussion.
Though the council’s role is advisory, officials say it has become an effective mechanism for promoting cooperation between the Centre and the states. Over the past 11 years, 63 meetings of zonal councils and their permanent committees have been held, reflecting growing engagement between different levels of government.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
November 17, 2025, 7:54 PM IST
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