Zonal Councils

About Zonal Councils

• Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the concept of zonal councils in 1956 during the debate on the States Reorganisation Commission report.
• It was introduced as a mechanism to promote inter-state cooperation and resolve issues arising from state linguistic reorganizations.
• These councils serve as advisory and cooperative platforms between states and the Centre.
• Composition of Zonal Councils: Each Zonal Council consists of:
  • Union Home Minister – Chairman of all councils.
  • Chief Ministers of the states in a zone – Vice-Chairman (on a rotational basis for one year).
  • Two Ministers from each state – Nominated by the respective Governor.
  • Two representatives from Union Territories in the zone.
  • Chief Secretaries and senior officials from the states.
• Standing Committees
  • Each council has a Standing Committee comprising Chief Secretaries of member states.
  • These committees meet periodically to resolve issues and prepare the groundwork for council meetings.
  • Representatives from Central Ministries and NITI Aayog attend based on necessity.
• Functions and Role of Zonal Councils
  • It acts as a platform for resolving Centre-State and inter-state disputes.
  • It facilitates regional cooperation in economic and social planning.
  • It discusses and resolves issues related to:
    • Border disputes.
    • Linguistic minorities.
    • Inter-state transport
    • Other matters under the States Reorganisation Act.
  • It fosters cooperative and competitive federalism.