Central Zonal Council Meets In Varanasi, Backs 2047 Vision

26 Jun 2025 CW Team

Dispute-free council, faster decision-making

Mr Shah highlighted that the central zone remains the only Zonal Council with no inter-state disputes, calling it a model for the Prime Minister’s goal of a developed India by 2047. He noted a marked rise in activity: 28 council meetings and 33 standing-committee meetings have been held since 2014, double the tally for the previous decade, settling 1,287 issues—a “historic and encouraging” record.

Stronger village finances

The Home Minister urged member States to draft rules that boost Gram Panchayat revenues, arguing that healthier local finances will reinvigorate the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.

Nineteen items on the table

The council examined 19 matters, including:

Expanding Fast-Track Special Courts for rapid trial of sexual-offence cases
Ensuring a brick-and-mortar bank branch within set distances of every village
Full roll-out of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112)
Eradicating child malnutrition and cutting school drop-out rates to zero
Strengthening the co-operative sector across member States

Structure and purpose of Zonal Councils

Formed under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the five Zonal Councils foster co-operative and competitive federalism. Chaired by the Union Home Minister, they bring together Chief Ministers, nominated State ministers and senior officials to resolve cross-border issues. Although advisory, the councils have become vital for smoothing Centre–State relations; 62 meetings of councils and their standing committees have taken place in the past eleven years.

Kashi as a template

Praising the rapid transformation of Varanasi from ancient pilgrimage city to development symbol, Mr Shah said Prime Minister Modi’s constituency work “sets an example of what dedicated representation can achieve”.

With consensus on priorities—from Panchayat finance to judicial speed—the council reaffirmed its role in building “strong States for a strong nation”.

"Join industry leaders at RAHSTA Expo, India's premier platform for roads, highways and traffic infrastructure. Register now to explore innovations, network with experts and shape the future of mobility."

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah chaired the 25th Central Zonal Council meeting in Varanasi on Monday, joined by the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Opening the session in Kashi—now a showcase of development since Prime Minister Narendra Modi became its MP—Mr Shah tabled a resolution lauding the Prime Minister’s leadership and the valour of the armed forces; members adopted it unanimously.Dispute-free council, faster decision-makingMr Shah highlighted that the central zone remains the only Zonal Council with no inter-state disputes, calling it a model for the Prime Minister’s goal of a developed India by 2047. He noted a marked rise in activity: 28 council meetings and 33 standing-committee meetings have been held since 2014, double the tally for the previous decade, settling 1,287 issues—a “historic and encouraging” record.Stronger village financesThe Home Minister urged member States to draft rules that boost Gram Panchayat revenues, arguing that healthier local finances will reinvigorate the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.Nineteen items on the tableThe council examined 19 matters, including:Expanding Fast-Track Special Courts for rapid trial of sexual-offence casesEnsuring a brick-and-mortar bank branch within set distances of every villageFull roll-out of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112)Eradicating child malnutrition and cutting school drop-out rates to zeroStrengthening the co-operative sector across member StatesStructure and purpose of Zonal CouncilsFormed under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the five Zonal Councils foster co-operative and competitive federalism. Chaired by the Union Home Minister, they bring together Chief Ministers, nominated State ministers and senior officials to resolve cross-border issues. Although advisory, the councils have become vital for smoothing Centre–State relations; 62 meetings of councils and their standing committees have taken place in the past eleven years.Kashi as a templatePraising the rapid transformation of Varanasi from ancient pilgrimage city to development symbol, Mr Shah said Prime Minister Modi’s constituency work “sets an example of what dedicated representation can achieve”.With consensus on priorities—from Panchayat finance to judicial speed—the council reaffirmed its role in building “strong States for a strong nation”.

Infrastructure Transport

10 Jul 2026

Uttar Pradesh unveils infrastructure-led growth roadmap at RAHSTA

Mumbai, 9 July 2026: Uttar Pradesh’s ambitious infrastructure-led growth strategy took centre stage on Day 2 of the 16th RAHSTA Expo, where senior government officials outlined how expressways, industrial corridors and technology-driven governance are transforming the state into one of India's most attractive investment destinations.Delivering the keynote address, Srihari Pratap Shahi, IAS, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), highlighted the state's long-term vision of integrating world-class expressways with industrial dev..

Real Estate

10 Jul 2026

NCW closes PRIME Offices Fund at Rs 40 billion

Nuvama and Cushman & Wakefield Management (NCW) has announced the final close of its flagship PRIME Offices Fund at approximately Rs 40 billion, exceeding its original target of Rs 30 billion following strong investor demand.The fund was launched to provide Indian investors with access to institutional-grade commercial office assets across key office markets in the country. According to NCW, the increase in the fund size was supported by strong investor participation and the availability of investment opportunities in India's office sector.The fund has already committed around 45 per cent ..

Real Estate

10 Jul 2026

Mayfair Housing adopts Autodesk Forma for digital project planning

Mayfair Housing has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with Autodesk to deploy Autodesk Forma, an AI-enabled cloud platform, as part of its digital transformation programme aimed at improving project planning and execution across its development and redevelopment portfolio.The platform will be integrated into the company's Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflow to support architects, planners and project teams during the early stages of design and development. Autodesk Forma combines real-world data, environmental simulations and collaborative workflows to facilitate data-d..