Question

Consider the following statements about the membership of Zonal Councils:

1. Each state in the zone nominates two ministers to the council.

2. The NITI Aayog nominates a person as an advisor to each Zonal Council.

3. The Chief Minister of each state is a permanent member of the council.

   Which of the above statements is/are correct?

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2, and 3

Answer 1

Answer:

B. 1 and 3 only

Zonal Councils

• Establishment: Zonal Councils were established by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. They are advisory bodies and not constitutional bodies.

• Objective: The primary aim of Zonal Councils is to promote interstate cooperation and coordination on matters of common interest, such as economic planning, social welfare, and border disputes.

• Membership Structure:

  • Chairman: The Union Home Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of all five Zonal Councils.

  • Vice-Chairman: The Union Minister of State, nominated by the Central Government, acts as the Vice-Chairman. He or she serves as the Chairman for one year at a time, rotating among the states included in the zone.

  • Members: Each state included in a zone nominates:

    • The Chief Minister as a member.

    • Two other ministers as members.

  • Advisory Role: The NITI Aayog does not nominate a person as an advisor to each Zonal Council. Instead, it may provide expertise or data as needed, but direct nomination of advisors is not part of the Zonal Council structure.

• Zonal Council Areas: India is divided into five zones:

  • Northern Zonal Council: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

  • Central Zonal Council: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

  • Eastern Zonal Council: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.

  • Western Zonal Council: Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

  • Southern Zonal Council: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.

• Island Territories: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are not included in any of the five Zonal Councils.

Key Points for Exams:

• Zonal Councils are statutory bodies, not constitutional.

• The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of all Zonal Councils.

• The Chief Minister of each state is a permanent member of the respective Zonal Council.

• Each state nominates two ministers besides the Chief Minister.