Question

Choose the correct statement(s) regarding the Zonal Councils.

1. Zonal Councils discuss matters such as economic and social planning, linguistic minorities, and inter-state transport.

2. The Chief Minister of each state in the zone acts as the vice-chairman of the Zonal Council on a rotational basis for one year.

3. The Zonal Councils have the authority to enforce their recommendations on states and union territories.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 1 and 2 only

Understanding Zonal Councils

• The Zonal Councils are statutory bodies, not constitutional bodies. They were established under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.
• The main objective behind their establishment was to promote inter-state cooperation and coordination in economic, social, and cultural fields. They serve as a forum for dialogue and discussion between the states and the Union Government.
• They aim to foster a sense of cooperative federalism among the states.

Functions and Scope of Zonal Councils

• Statement 1 is Correct: Zonal Councils are indeed designed to discuss and make recommendations on matters of common interest in their respective zones.
• These matters include a wide array of subjects such as:
  • Economic and Social Planning
  • Linguistic Minorities (protection and promotion of their interests)
  • Border Disputes
  • Inter-State Transport
  • Reorganization of States (matters arising from the reorganization)
  • Other issues related to development and cooperation among member states.

Composition and Leadership

• Statement 2 is Correct: Each Zonal Council has a specific structure for its leadership.
• The Union Home Minister serves as the common Chairman for all the Zonal Councils. This emphasizes the central government's role in inter-state relations.
• The Chief Ministers of the states included in each zone act as the Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that specific zone. This position rotates among the Chief Ministers, with each holding office for a period of one year at a time.
• Other members include two other Ministers from each of the member states, and an Administrator in case of Union Territories. Advisors like the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) and Chief Secretaries are also part of the meetings.

Nature of Recommendations

• Statement 3 is Incorrect: Zonal Councils are fundamentally advisory bodies.
• Their recommendations are not binding or enforceable on the member states or Union Territories. They are intended to provide a forum for discussion, exchange of views, and to arrive at solutions through consensus.
• The effectiveness of these councils largely depends on the willingness of the member states and the central government to implement their recommendations.

Existing Zonal Councils

• There are currently five Zonal Councils:
  • Northern Zonal Council: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT), Punjab, Rajasthan, NCT of Delhi (UT), Chandigarh (UT)
  • Central Zonal Council: Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
  • Eastern Zonal Council: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal
  • Western Zonal Council: Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (UT)
  • Southern Zonal Council: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry (UT)
• The North Eastern Council (NEC), established under the North Eastern Council Act of 1971, is a separate statutory body that functions on similar lines but specifically for the North Eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura).