Union Home Minister Chairs Southern Zonal Council Meeting in Mamallapuram

Union Home Minister chaired the Southern Zonal Council meeting held near Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister participated as the Vice Chair of the meeting. The high-level conference brought together Chief Ministers, Ministers, and senior administrative officials from southern states and Union Territories to deliberate on regional coordination, inter-state infrastructure projects, and shared security concerns.

Zonal Councils were established under Part III of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, making them statutory bodies rather than constitutional entities. Five Zonal Councils were created initially: Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern. A separate North-Eastern Council was established later under the North-Eastern Council Act, 1971. Their primary objective is to foster inter-state cooperation and balance regional development.

The Southern Zonal Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The Union Home Minister serves as the ex-officio Chairman of all Zonal Councils, while Chief Ministers act as Vice-Chairmen on an annual rotation basis. Key agenda items discussed included coastal security, blue economy integration, power distribution grids, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

Zonal Councils are a critical topic under Indian Polity for competitive examinations. Prelims questions frequently test candidates on the statutory nature of Zonal Councils, member states, and organizational leadership structure. In Mains GS Paper II, this serves as a prime illustration of cooperative federalism and administrative mechanisms for resolving inter-state friction smoothly.