Eastern Zonal Council Meeting: Regional Issues at the Forefront

The Eastern Zonal Council meeting, presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, commenced today in Ranchi. The meeting sees participation from around 70 representatives of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal, including notable attendees such as Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Amid tight security, the council is set to deliberate on a variety of regional concerns. High on the agenda are Jharkhand's demand for addressing Rs 1.36 lakh crore in pending coal dues and the state's push for a separate Saran religious code for tribal communities. Bihar intends to navigate unresolved water-sharing and asset division issues post its bifurcation from Jharkhand in 2000.

The meeting builds a platform for inter-state dialogue under the framework established by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Key discussions will revolve around socio-economic development, with a focus on cooperative and competitive federalism, as emphasized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This council offers advisory inputs to fortify interstate cooperation and address issues of common interest.

(With inputs from agencies.)