Shah Chairs 27th Eastern Zonal Council Meeting in Ranchi

Ranchi, July 10: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council in Ranchi today, bringing together senior leaders and officials from Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal to discuss critical inter-state and regional development issues.

The meeting commenced with a formal welcome by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who greeted Shah with a bouquet and memento. The Council aims to foster cooperative federalism by addressing administrative, economic, and development-related matters across the eastern region.

Representing Jharkhand were CM Hemant Soren, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, Revenue Minister Deepak Birua, Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Principal Secretary (Home) Vandana Dadel, and DGP Anurag Gupta, along with 68 state representatives. Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and Minister Vijay Choudhary, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CM Parvati Parida, and Minister Mukesh Mahaling, and West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya also participated.

The Council deliberated on 20 agenda items, with Jharkhand pressing for the release of its pending dues of ₹1.36 lakh crore from the Centre. The state also demanded the reinstatement of special central assistance for Naxal-affected districts and sought a special package to tackle malnutrition and underdevelopment.

Other key issues included the division of assets and liabilities of the Bihar State Construction Corporation Limited between Bihar and Jharkhand. The meeting also reviewed the action taken report from the previous session held on December 10, 2023.

The Eastern Zonal Council, a statutory body under the Inter-State Council, plays a vital role in promoting dialogue and resolving disputes among states and between the Centre and states on matters of common interest.