Regional strength along with national progress is Modi govt's clear goal, says Amit Shah

Faridabad (Haryana), Nov 17 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the Modi government's goal is very clear - regional strength along with national progress and India's global leadership in every field.

Addressing the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council here, Shah also said that all states should work in mutual coordination to resolve water resource management and water-related problems.

"Our goal is clear - regional strength along with national progress and India's global leadership in every field, which will lead us towards the creation of a great India," he said.

Chief Ministers Nayab Singh Saini (Haryana), Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Bhajan Lal Sharma (Rajasthan), Rekha Gupta (Delhi), Omar Abdullah (J&K), Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh Gulab Chand Kataria, Lieutenant Governors Manoj Sinha (J&K), V K Saxena (Delhi) and Kavinder Gupta (Ladakh) attended the meeting, officials said.

The home minister said poverty is being eradicated and employment is increasing through cooperation, agriculture, and fisheries.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mantra of 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' (Prosperity through Cooperation), he said the cooperative sector holds immense potential for employment.

He said that only through growth in employment — especially self-employment — along with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can the country realise the dream of a developed India.

Shah said the GDP alone is not an indicator of a country's prosperity; true prosperity is achieved only when every individual rises above the poverty line.

He said the Ministry of Cooperation has initiated 57 measures across the country to strengthen the sector. These include computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), establishment of three new national-level cooperative societies, and the setting up of Tribhuvan Sahkari University, he said.

The home minister said the original spirit and the role of zonal councils is advisory, but in the last decade, they have been accepted as action-oriented platforms and have delivered results.

"With follow-up, we have not only accepted issues between states, between regions and states, and between the Centre and state governments, but also created concrete pathways for their resolution," he said.

Shah said compared to 2004–2014, the number of zonal council meetings from 2014 to 2025 has increased by about two-and-a-half times, and the government has made these meetings meaningful.

He said between 2004 and 2014, there were a total of 25 meetings of zonal councils and standing committees, whereas from 2014 to 2025 till now, 64 meetings have been held.

He said more than doubling the number of meetings reflects PM Modi's concept of TEAM Bharat. In these meetings, 1600 issues were discussed and 1303 issues (81.43 per cent) were resolved.

This has been possible due to the cooperation of all state governments, Union territories, and central ministries and departments, with the Inter-State Council Secretariat playing an active role, he said.

The home minister said this year marks the 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram'. At one time, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's great composition 'Vande Mataram' became the clarion call for our country's freedom, he said, adding now the Government of India and all states are working together to once again make it the clarion call for building a 'great India'.

Referring to the implementation of the three new criminal laws, Shah said their enforcement has yielded very positive results. Under the new laws, the conviction rate has increased by approximately 25 to 40 per cent and culprits are receiving timely punishment, he said. PTI ACB ACB MNK MNK