Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during the 25th meeting of the Central Zonal Council chaired by the Union Minister, in Varanasi on June 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Devise ways and formulate rules to increase the revenue of gram panchayats, Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. He said enhancing the revenue of panchayats would make India’s three-tier, democratic Panchayati Raj system more effective, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) highlighted in a statement.
Mr. Shah on Tuesday (June 24, 2025) chaired the 25th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Varanasi, attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, and Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai.
Nineteen issues were discussed at the meeting, including several matters of national importance, the MHA said. The implementation of Fast Track Special Courts for the speedy investigation and prompt disposal of cases of rape involving women and children; provision of brick and mortar banking facilities within the designated radius of every village; and the implementation of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) were among the key issues that came up at the gathering.
All States should ensure the eradication of child malnutrition, bring the school dropout ratio down to zero, and strengthen the cooperative sector, the Home Minister said.
Under Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, five Zonal Councils were established. The Home Minister is the Chairperson of the Councils. The Zonal Councils serve an advisory role. With the cooperation of all State governments, Central Ministries, and departments, a total of 62 meetings of various Zonal Councils and their permanent committees had been held in the past 11 years, the MHA said.
Published – June 24, 2025 09:13 pm IST
