The Impressive TimesFaridabad, November 17, 2025- Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah presided over the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Faridabad on Sunday, bringing together top leadership from Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Chandigarh to discuss regional issues, security challenges, and cooperative development.
The meeting witnessed the participation of Chief Ministers Nayab Singh Saini, Bhagwant Mann, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Bhajan Lal Sharma, Omar Abdullah, and Rekha Gupta, as well as Lieutenant Governors, senior ministers, and top officials from member states and central ministries.
The session began with a solemn tribute to those who lost their lives in the recent car bomb blast in Delhi and the explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Jammu & Kashmir. A two-minute silence was observed.
Amit Shah asserted that India’s fight against terrorism remains uncompromising, stating that the perpetrators of the Delhi blast will be traced “even from the depths of the netherworld (patal)” and brought to justice.
Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that “strong states create a strong nation,” the Home Minister highlighted the growing role of Zonal Councils in resolving inter-state issues through cooperation, coordination, and policy alignment.
Shah noted that:
Meetings of Zonal Councils have increased 2.5 times in the 2014–2025 period compared to 2004–2014.
64 meetings have been held since 2014, compared to 25 earlier.
1600 issues have been taken up, out of which 1303 (81.43%) stand resolved.
Calling crimes against women and children “unacceptable in a civilized society,” Shah urged states to:
Strengthen Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs),
Ensure speedy investigations in POCSO and rape cases,
Work aggressively to curb malnutrition and stunting.
Highlighting the potential of the cooperative economy, the Minister said that sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and rural cooperatives can significantly boost employment and lift families out of poverty.
He cited major initiatives under the Ministry of Cooperation, including:
Computerisation of PACS,
Formation of three national cooperative societies,
Establishment of Tribhuvan Sahkari University,
Rollout of 57 policy reforms to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem.
Shah informed that the implementation of India’s new criminal laws has led to a 25–40% rise in conviction rates, enabling faster punishment for offenders. He urged states to improve forensic capabilities and digital integration of courts for stronger enforcement.
The meeting also reviewed several national priority issues, including:
Expanding millet production and adding millets to the 5 kg free ration scheme,
Strengthening the Emergency Response Support System (112),
Ensuring brick-and-mortar bank access within designated rural radius,
Addressing water-sharing and environmental challenges,
Reducing school dropout rates,
Enhancing participation of public hospitals in Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana,
Improving urban planning, power supply, and PACS operations.
Shah said that Surajkund’s heritage—linked to Lord Suryanarayan, Lord Krishna’s teachings, and traces of the Indus Valley civilization—symbolizes resilience. He also paid homage to the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, especially Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, for preserving India’s civilizational values.
The Home Minister also noted that 150 years of “Vande Mataram” mark an opportunity to instill patriotism among youth, urging states to promote the national song in public life.
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