New Delhi : Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah chaired the 23rd meeting of Central Zonal Council in Bhopal today. Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the meeting, while Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath and Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Bhupesh Baghel attended the meeting through virtual medium. Senior Ministers of member States, Union Home Secretary, Secretaries of Inter-State Council Secretariat, Chief Secretaries of Member States and senior officials of State Governments and Central Ministries and Departments were also present in the meeting.
In his address, the Union Home Minister said that Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, are important for their geographical location, contribution to GDP and development of the country. Earlier thesel States were considered as BIMARU States, but now they are moving out of it and are on the path of development. He said that the Central Zonal Council States are major centers of food grain production and have taken the concept of ‘Team India’ of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the ground.
Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always worked to strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism. In the last 8 years after becoming the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has kept the concept of ‘Team India’ before the Nation and made it possible. Frequency of meetings of the Zonal Council have increased. He said that the increase in the number of meetings despite the Covid-19 emphasize on the concept of Team India of the Prime Minister. Shri Amit Shah also said that there has been a 27 percent increase in resolving issues in the Zonal Council meetings since 2019, which is a great achievement.
The Union Home Minister said that although the role of the Regional Council meetings is advisory, but on the basis of the experience of three years as Home Minister, he can say that by giving importance to the meetings of the Council and its Standing Committee, many issues have been addressed. 30 issues were discussed in the last meeting of the Central Zonal Council, out of which 26 issues have been resolved, while in the 14th meeting of the Standing Committee held on January 17, 2022, out of 54, 36 issues have already been resolved. He said, a total of 18 issues were discussed in today’s meeting, out of which 15 were resolved, which is a great achievement. Mr. Shah said that with the increasing in the frequency of the meetings of the Council, exchange of good practices between the States is taking place. This not only gives inspiration to other States, but also creates better and healthy relations between the Centre and States, many issues between States are resolved through dialogue and the spirit of mutual cooperation between Sates has also strengthened.
The Union Home Minister said that after the formation of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the country, along with dealing strictly with the problem of Left Wing Exremism in the Naxalite affected areas included in the Central Zonal Council, many important steps have been taken for development in these areas. He said that it has yielded good results. When Left Wing Extremist violence was at its peak in 2009, the number of incidents of Left Wing Extremist was 2,258 which decreased to 509 in 2021. He said since 2019 the incidents of Left Wing Extremism have come down very rapidly. In 2009, 1,005 people died in militant violence, while in 2021, 147 people were killed. Shri Shah said that there has also been a decrease in Left Wing Extremist violence at police stations during this period, from 96 such incidents in 2009 it came down to 46 in 2021. He said the Central Government is further strengthening security forces in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas and filling gaps in security, under which 40 new security camps have been opened in the last three years and 15 more are to be opened. It is a great achievement but still, the Government of India along with the States are committed to fully eliminate the problem of Left Wing Extremism.
Shri Amit Shah said the government has opened about 5,000 post offices and more than 1200 bank branches in the last three years in Left Wing Extremism affected areas. Also, to speed up the telecom services, more than 2,300 mobile towers are being installed in the first phase and installation of 2,500 mobile towers in the second phase is going on. The Union Home Minister also said that there are many development schemes of State Governments in Naxal-affected areas and the States by giving priority to them, should aim for full results of these schemes. He said more the development in Naxal-affected areas, the less will be the recruitment of Naxalites and the sources of mobilization of Left Wing Extremists will also be exhausted. The Union Home Minister urged Naxal-affected states to focus more on dealing with this problem so that it can be rooted out.
The 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council discussed the significant progress made towards expansion of banking facilities within 5 kms of all villages as per the vision given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for expansion of the banking network in rural areas. The 112 Emergency Response Support Service (ERSS) is the single number emergency line in the country and is functioning in 35 States/UTs. The online Sakhi Dashboard is being operated by the Government of India under the ‘Sakhi -One Stop Center’ for safety of women. The meeting also discussed the seamless integration of the Police Help Line No. 112 with the Women Help Line No. – 181 and Child Help Line No. – 1098 and through this and shifting the cases related to women to ‘Sakhi -One Stop Center’ on real time basis. In today’s meeting, the council was apprised that as a result of the discussion in the 22nd meeting of the council held at Raipur, the Food and Public Distribution Department of the Government of India has issued revised criteria for the loss / profit in the storage of wheat and rice, which is equally applicable to the institutions of the Central Government and the State Governments. The issue of release of grants to State Home Guards and declaring Bhopal, Indore and Raipur airports as international airports was also discussed in the meeting. The Union Home Minister also asked the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of the States included in the Central Zonal Council to regularly monitor the issues raised in the Council meeting every month so that these issues can be resolved expeditiously.
Central Zonal Council is working for the fulfillment of the resolutions of Prime Minister Shri Modi – CM Shri Chouhan
Cooperative federalism is getting strong under the guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah
We have to forget the differences of ideology and find a way for Indias development
Madhya Pradesh is fortunate to get the opportunity to host the meeting of the Council in the Amrit Mahotsav year of Independence
The 23rd Central Zonal Council meeting held under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah
Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh including Madhya Pradesh attended
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan is Vice-Chairman of Central Zonal Council
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that it is our good fortune that Madhya Pradesh got the opportunity to host the 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council in the year of Amrit Mahotsav of independence. CM Shri Chouhan while welcoming the guests who visited Bhopal, the city of Lakes in the council meeting, said that the federal structure of India has emerged stronger in the last eight years under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. We have to forget the differences of ideology and find a way for India’s development. Central Zonal Council, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, is working for the fulfillment of the resolutions of Prime Minister Shri Modi and cooperative federalism is gaining strength. With institutional measures like NITI Aayog, Chief Minister’s Council and Central Zonal Council, the states and the Centre are working together like Team India. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan was addressing the meeting of Central Zonal Council at Kubhabhau Thakre Auditorium. It is noteworthy that CM Shri Chouhan is also the Vice-Chairman of the Council.
The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushpkar Singh Dhami was present in the meeting of the Central Zonal Council under the chairmanship of Union Home and Cooperative Minister Shri Amit Shah. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Adityanath Yogi virtually attended the meeting. State Home Minister Dr. Narottam Mishra, Finance Minister Shri Jagdish Deora, Chief Secretary Shri Iqbal Singh Bains and officials from the Centre, Madhya Pradesh and other states were present. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan welcomed the guests by presenting a statue of Raja Bhoj as a memento. CM Shri Chouhan presented products to the guests like Chanderi stole, tiger print, artifacts made from sandstone and herbal tea manufactured under the “One District-One Product” scheme in different districts of the state.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that the Central Zonal Council is not only a bridge of cooperation between the Centre and the state, but it has also become a powerful medium for sharing of mutual thoughts and experiences. Many complex and policy issues have been resolved through council meetings. The Council has made the relations between the Centre and the States strong and positive in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh is working continuously to realise the resolve of Prime Minister Shri Modi. The state has achieved a growth rate of 19.74 percent at the prevailing rates, which is the highest in the country. With the aim of making India a $ 5 trillion economy, work is going on in the state with the target of providing a contributing of 500 billion dollars. Madhya Pradesh was the first in the country to make a roadmap for self-reliant Madhya Pradesh and work is going on at a rapid pace. The state has made development, public welfare and Swaraj, the three mantras of Prime Minister Shri Modi, as its mission. Increasing capital expenditure leads to infrastructure development and new employment opportunities are also created. Therefore, the state is now making capital expenditure up to 04 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. A budget of Rs 48 thousand 800 crore has been kept for capital expenditure this year, which is the biggest ever budget provision.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that our biggest priority is employment and self-employment. Success has been achieved in connecting the sisters of 43 lakh families in various economic activities through self-help groups. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that special efforts are being made for diversification of agriculture and promotion of natural farming. A special campaign will be started from September 25, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, for cent percent saturation in the beneficiary-oriented flagship schemes of the Central and State Governments.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan placed key points for deliberation in front of the Council
- To direct the banks for easy availability of credit to the beneficiaries under the Swamitva Yojana.
- A single citizen database is being created in the state by linking various other databases with the Samagra portal. Making centralized institutional arrangement for integration of state portals with various central government portals.
- Kisan Credit Cards are being given to fish farmers and livestock farmers in the state at zero percent interest rate. Banks are not taking interest in accepting KCC. To issue guidelines to the banks from the Central Government level in this regard.
- Need to make a policy regarding returning such land allotted to Central Undertakings and Defence Establishments in the state to the State Government which they are not using.
- Madhya Pradesh has degraded forests covering an area of36 lakh square kilometres. Keeping this area offorests in view, the rules regarding compensatory afforestation should be relaxed, so that the work of compensatory afforestation can be made possible in the state against the plans of other states.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan while thanking the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh and the entire Inter-State Council Secretariat said that Prime Minister Shri Modi’s mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas-Sabka Prayas” is meaningful. While doing so, the state and the Centre will work as a team for the welfare of the people.
The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami requested to start a campaign to connect the seasonal rivers of Uttarakhand with glacier-based rivers. He expressed the need to provide support for making arrangements for large number of pilgrims coming to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, Gangotri pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand and to develop all-weather road in the border area with China and to boost mobile network and connectivity in the villages of mountainous region.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Adityanath Yogi said that the spirit of cooperative federalism has proved helpful in Corona management. He stressed the need for coordination at the inter-state level on issues related to cow-smuggling. Along with this, he also stressed the need for joint efforts for effective control of lumpy disease in cattle. The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Bhupesh Baghel along with discussing the topics related to Naxal affected districts, proposed to provide more time for completion of work in Bastar division in Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojna, give International Airport status to Raipur Airport, set up solar plants in aspirational districts and establish a plant by Indian Oil to make ethanol from paddy straw in Chhattisgarh.
Major points raised by the states in the meeting of the Central Zonal Council
- Declaring Indore, Bhopal and Raipur airports as international airports.
- Subjects related to food grains, storage.
- Providing banking facility to all villages within a radius of 05 km.
- Speedy investigation of sexual offences and rape cases against women and children.
- Increasing the Central share for police modernization.
- Amendment in eligibility provisions for National Social Assistance (Old Age/Disabled Pension etc.) programmes.
- Fixation of Minimum Support Price for Kondo and Kutki crops.
- Inclusion of lac cultivation in crop insurance scheme and Kisan Credit Card.
- Increase in incentive amount for construction of toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission.
- To provide subsidy for vermicompost on the lines of chemical fertilisers.
Chief Secretary Shri Iqbal Singh Bains expressed gratitude to the guests, institutions and colleagues who attended the 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council.
Comments are closed.