In Faridabad, Haryana, the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council kicked off on Monday, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The council brings together leaders from eight states and territories—Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Chandigarh—to talk about key national issues.
Shah’s main focus was on speeding up the justice process for cases of sexual abuse against women and children. The minister urged the council to push for Fast‑Track Special Courts (FTSC) that can dispose of these cases faster. The discussion also covered other urgent matters such as the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS‑112), a new platform to coordinate emergency services across the region.
One of the practical topics on the agenda was expanding access to banking. Officials are exploring ways to open brick‑and‑mortar branch offices in every village within the council’s area. This move aims to make financial services more reachable for rural residents.
Health, nutrition, education, and electricity were highlighted as top priorities. Council members talked about new strategies to improve school attendance, boost nutrition programs, expand clean electricity supply, and strengthen urban planning. They also discussed strengthening the cooperative system, which could help farmers and small businesses.
The council is chaired by the Union Home Minister and co‑chaired by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Singh Saini. While the role of zonal councils is largely advisory, they have become important platforms for building cooperation between the central government and state governments.
Over the past 11 years, the Northern Zonal Council, along with the other four zonal councils set up under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, has held 63 meetings. These meetings have helped resolve disputes and promote collaboration on shared projects and policies.
The meeting was organized by the Inter‑State Council Secretariat of the Ministry of Home Affairs, with Haryana’s state government hosting the event. Senior officials from the central government, the state governments, and union territories attended and contributed to the discussions.
By focusing on rapid justice for sexual offence victims and expanding services such as banking and emergency response, the council aims to address pressing concerns while fostering stronger ties among the states. The outcomes of this meeting could influence policies across the northern India region for years to come.
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