Consensus reached on 20 key issues at Eastern Zonal Council meet in Ranchi (Lead)

Ranchi, July 10 (IANS) A broad consensus was reached on 20 crucial issues concerning Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha during the 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council held in Ranchi on Thursday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who chaired the meeting, assured the states that the Centre is committed to extending all possible support to their inclusive development efforts.

The meeting, held at Hotel Radisson Blu, saw the participation of senior ministers and officials from the four eastern states.

Shah underlined the Centre’s readiness to act on state-specific demands and promote coordinated action on issues such as regional development, resource sharing, crime control, and welfare initiatives.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren put forth 31 demands on behalf of the state, focusing on development, social justice, and regional equity. Key among them were the inclusion of the Damodar River under the Namami Gange project, launching a metro train project in Ranchi, and preservation of tribal cultural heritage.

Soren also demanded immediate clearance of Jharkhand’s pending dues of Rs 1.40 lakh crore from coal companies and stressed the need for safe closure of depleted mines in the state.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary highlighted the state’s recurring flood crisis, calling for a comprehensive silt management policy to address the problem caused by sedimentation in rivers like the Ganga and Kosi.

He also announced consensus on sharing the waters of the Son River under the Indrapuri Reservoir and Bansagar Agreement -- allocating 5.75 MAF (million acre-feet) to Bihar and 2.00 MAF to Jharkhand.

Choudhary urged the Centre to bear 100 per cent of the cost of anti-erosion works along the Bihar-West Bengal border and demanded uninterrupted flow of the Ganga through the Farakka Barrage.

He further emphasised the need for a coordinated inter-state water management policy involving the Ganga and rivers flowing in from Nepal.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi drew attention to the lack of financial infrastructure in rural areas. He informed the Council that only 2,421 of the state’s 6,794 gram panchayats have bank branches, and urged the Centre to ensure branch expansion and improved internet connectivity in the remaining 4,373 panchayats.

Representing West Bengal, Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya called for strict national legislation to regulate inflammatory and misleading content on social media. She also flagged the issue of delayed fund disbursals under centrally sponsored schemes, urging the timely release of dues owed to the state.

--IANS

snc/skp/dan