Zonal Councils in India

Nature and Establishment:

• Zonal Councils are statutory bodies, not constitutional ones.
• Created by the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.
• India is divided into five zones: Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern, each with its own Zonal Council.
• The North-Eastern Council, formed under the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971, includes Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Sikkim.

Purpose and Functions:

• Zonal Councils are advisory bodies that recommend on matters of common interest in economic and social planning.
• They address issues like border disputes, linguistic minorities, inter-state transport, and matters related to state reorganization.
• Aim to promote national integration and cooperation between the Centre and States.

Composition of Zonal Councils:

• Chairman: The Union Home Minister.
• Vice Chairman: Chief Ministers of the States in the zone, rotating annually.
• Members: Chief Minister and two other Ministers from each State, two members from Union Territories in the zone.
• Advisers: One person from NITI Aayog, Chief Secretaries, and other officers from each State.

Why in News:

• Recently, the 26th Zone meeting of the Zonal Council was held.