Pune : Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 27th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Pune, Maharashtra, on Saturday, bringing together the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, and the Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, alongside senior government officials from both state and central ministries.
The Union Home Secretary, Secretary of the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, Chief Secretaries of the states in the Western Region, and other senior officials from state and central ministries and departments were also present at the meeting.
Amit Shah highlighted that while Zonal Councils are advisory, they have become key platforms for sharing best practices and national achievements. He emphasised their role in fostering inclusive solutions and holistic development through dialogue, collaboration and cooperation.
He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's whole-of-government approach has transformed from a mere mantra into a guiding governance culture. He emphasised that Zonal Councils have evolved into strategic decision-making platforms, surpassing their traditional role as formal institutions.
Through these platforms, several crucial and transformative decisions have been made, particularly in the meetings of the Eastern Zonal Council. He further underscored that these meetings have facilitated the exchange of innovative solutions and efforts to comprehensively and systematically resolve long-standing issues.
The Home Minister emphasized the Western Region's pivotal role in India's economy, highlighting that it accounts for over half of the country's global trade. He noted that the northern and central regions also depend on the Western Region for international commerce. He underscored that key infrastructure, including ports and urban development facilities, not only support the region's states but also benefit others like Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
He further stated that the Western Region contributes 25% to India's GDP and houses industries where 80-90% of operations take place. Given its economic significance, he described the Western Region as a model for balanced and inclusive national development.
Amit Shah emphasised that since 2014, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Zonal Councils have transformed from formal institutions into dynamic platforms driving meaningful change.
He highlighted a significant surge in their activities, noting that between 2004 and 2014, only 25 meetings were held, whereas from 2014 to February 2025, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, 61 meetings took place--marking a 140% increase.
He further pointed out that while 469 topics were discussed from 2004 to 2014, this number rose to 1,541 between 2014 and February 2025, reflecting a 170% growth. Additionally, the number of resolved issues saw a threefold increase, from 448 in the previous decade to 1,280 in the last ten years.
Amit Shah stated that the government is continuously progressing towards achieving 100% of the targets set in the agendas of the Zonal Council meetings. He highlighted significant progress in financial accessibility, noting that the goal of establishing bank branches or postal banking facilities within 5 kilometres of every village is nearly accomplished. In today's meeting, a new target was set to reduce the distance to 3 km for greater accessibility; he emphasized this milestone as a collective achievement through state cooperation.
Amit Shah acknowledged that the states in the Western Zone are among the most prosperous in the country. However, he expressed concern over the ongoing challenges of malnutrition and stunting among children and citizens in these states.
He urged the Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Principal Secretaries of the Western Zone to make the eradication of malnutrition a top priority, emphasising its critical role in improving overall public health. He noted that good health is not solely dependent on medicines and hospitals but requires preventive measures to ensure that children and citizens remain healthy from the outset.
The Home Minister stressed the need for dedicated efforts to tackle stunting among children and called for comprehensive steps to address the issue. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of reducing school dropout rates and enhancing the quality of education to secure a better future for the younger generation.
The Union Home Minister voiced concern over the import of pulses and highlighted the need to enhance domestic pulse production. He observed that farmers had long faced challenges in securing fair prices for their pulses. However, with the government's introduction of a mobile application, farmers can now sell their entire produce directly at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
He appealed to the western states to actively promote this application and facilitate farmer registration, ensuring they receive fair prices while contributing to the nation's self-reliance in pulse production.
Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi', Amit Shah emphasized that cooperation is key to achieving 100% employment in the country. He underscored the importance of strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), making them multi-dimensional, and effectively implementing over 56 initiatives designed to realize the full potential of 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi.'
He urged Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa to take all necessary steps to build robust cooperative infrastructure at the grassroots level. Addressing the implementation of the three new criminal laws, the Union Home Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring that citizens fully receive their constitutional rights.
He further stated that in the coming days, issues related to digital infrastructure and cybercrime will be brought under the purview of the Inter-State Council. He urged the states to take proactive measures to prepare for this development.
Amit Shah emphasised the need to build on existing efforts and a well-defined roadmap to drive sustained economic growth at both national and state levels. He highlighted the strategic role of regional councils in maximizing development potential and ensuring the achievement of 100% growth objectives.
The 27th meeting of the Western Zonal Council discussed a total of 18 issues. Detailed discussions were held on several critical matters affecting member states and the entire country, including land transfer, mining, expediting investigations into rape cases involving women and children, implementation of the Fast Track Special Court (FTSC) scheme for quick disposal of rape and POCSO Act cases, the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), bank branches/postal banking facilities in every village, railway projects, and food safety standards.
Additionally, discussions were held on six issues of national importance, including urban master planning and affordable housing, electricity management/supply, eliminating malnutrition among children through the Nutrition Mission, reducing school dropout rates, increasing the participation of government hospitals in the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and strengthening PACS. Member states and Union Territories also shared best practices adopted in their respective regions.
The Union Home Minister hailed Pune as India's cultural epicentre, highlighting its rich legacy and the pivotal roles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwas, and Lokmanya Tilak in shaping the nation's destiny. He also expressed gratitude to Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis for successfully hosting the meeting with excellent arrangements.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also participated in the meeting, along with Gujarat's Health Minister Rushikesh Patel and Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stated that under the Prime Minister's leadership, cooperative federalism has strengthened, with Zonal Council meetings playing a key role in resolving common issues through collective efforts. He stated that under Home Minister Amit Shah's guidance and PM Narendra Modi's leadership, states are striving for 100% saturation of welfare schemes.
As part of best practice sharing, Gujarat's Food and Civil Supplies Department presented a demonstration on supply chain automation, which brings transparency, accuracy, and efficiency to the public distribution system.
The Chair of the meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stated that the Chief Ministers of the states assured prompt action on the suggestions made during the meeting. Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister MK Das, and senior secretaries remained present at the meeting.