Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council at Faridabad in Haryana on Monday.
The meeting is being organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, with the Government of Haryana hosting it.
The Northern Zonal Council consists of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh. Chief ministers, lieutenant governors, senior officials from the central and state governments and Union territories shall participate in the meeting.
Education, health, electricity, and speedy investigation of cases of sexual offences against women and children are likely to be discussed.
The council will also discuss issues of national importance, including the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts, providing brick-and-mortar banking facilities in the designated area of every village, implementation of the Emergency Response Support System, etc.
Issues of common interest on the regional level shall also be discussed.
The Northern Zonal Council is among the five zonal councils established under sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
Issues proposed by the States are presented to the permanent committee of the concerned Zonal Council for discussion initially. Following consideration by the permanent committee, issues are later presented to the Zonal Council meeting for deliberation.
Despite the role of the zonal councils being advisory, it serves as a forum to resolve and aid progress over issues and disputes between the Centre, member states and Union territories. It also plays a vital role in promoting mutual understanding and cooperation across various fields.
In the last 11 years, a total of 63 meetings of the various zonal councils and their permanent committees have been held.