Northern Zonal Council meeting to be held at Faridabad's Surajkund on Sep 11

Chandigarh, Aug 28 (PTI) The 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council will be held on September 11 at Surajkund in Haryana's Faridabad, which will be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

A review meeting regarding the preparations for this event was held on Thursday through video conferencing under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.

Rastogi said that chief ministers, lieutenant governors, and chief secretaries of eight states and union territories will participate in this meeting.

Notably, Northern Zonal Council comprises the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, National Capital Territory of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh UTs.

After the meeting, Faridabad Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Joon reviewed arrangements related to security, traffic management, parking, accommodation, transportation, medical facilities, and emergency services, an official statement said here.

Notably, five Zonal Councils were established in the year 1957 under Section 15-22 of the States Reorganization Act, 1956. Union Home Minister is the Chairman of these five Zonal Councils, while the Chief Ministers of the Statesand the Administrator/Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territories included in the respective Zonal Council are its members, one of whom is the Vice-Chairman by rotation each year.

Two more ministers from each state are nominated by the Governor as members of the council. Each Zonal Council has also constituted a Standing Committee at the level of chief secretaries.

Over the years these councils have emerged as an important mechanism for promoting mutual understanding and cooperation in various fields. PTI SUN NB NB