Question

With respect to the Western Zonal Council, consider the following statements:

1. It includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa.

2. Its headquarters is in Mumbai.

3. The council is chaired by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

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

Answer 1

Answer:

C. 1 only

Zonal Councils in India

• Zonal Councils are statutory advisory bodies established by the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

• They were created to promote inter-state cooperation and coordination on various issues of common interest.

• There are five Zonal Councils: Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern.

Western Zonal Council

• Member States: It comprises the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa. It also includes the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

• Headquarters: The headquarters of the Western Zonal Council is located in Mumbai.

• Chairman: The Union Home Minister is the ex-officio chairman of all Zonal Councils. The Zonal Councils also have a vice-chairman and a coordinating secretary.

• Rotating Chairmanship: While the Union Home Minister is the overall chairman, the chairmanship of the council meetings rotates annually among the Chief Ministers of the member states. However, statement 3 is incorrect as it specifically states the Chief Minister of Maharashtra chairs it, which is not always the case due to the rotating nature.

• Functions: These councils discuss matters relating to economic and social planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes, transport, and other communal matters.

Analysis of Statements

• Statement 1 is correct as Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa are part of the Western Zonal Council.

• Statement 2 is correct as the headquarters is indeed in Mumbai.

• Statement 3 is incorrect because while the Chief Minister of Maharashtra is part of the rotating chairmanship, the statement implies a permanent chairmanship, which is not accurate. The Union Home Minister is the permanent chairman, and the vice-chairman role rotates among Chief Ministers.