Overview

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah opened the 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Ranchi with about 70 representatives from Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal under extensive security and traffic restrictions
• Delegates brokered agreement on 20 inter-state and regional matters, notably the Mayurakshi and Indrapuri dam water-sharing schemes and a comprehensive silt management policy
• Jharkhand pressed for clearance of ₹1.36 lakh crore in pending coal-duebills, Bihar raised post-bifurcation asset division and river-sharing demands, Odisha urged expansion of rural bank branches and West Bengal sought timely release of scheme funds
• The council endorsed proposals for fast-track courts to expedite sexual-offence cases, brick-and-mortar banking in every village and full implementation of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112)
• Amit Shah praised zonal councils as “engines of cooperation” with an 83% issue-resolution rate and reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to cooperative and competitive federalism for state development