By Kashmir News Corner 
Chairs 32nd Northern Zonal Council Meet in Faridabad
Faridabad, Nov 17 (KNC): Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday chaired the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Faridabad, bringing together Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and senior officials from the northern states and Union Territories.
As per news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC, the meeting began with tributes and a two-minute silence for those killed in the recent Delhi car bomb blast and the explosion at Nowgam Police Station in Jammu & Kashmir. The Home Minister said the nation remains united against terrorism and asserted, “We will hunt down the culprits of the Delhi bomb blast even from the depths of the netherworld (patal) and ensure they receive the strictest possible punishment.”
Shah said the NZC has become a vital platform for dialogue, cooperation, coordination and ‘policy synergy’, emphasising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Strong states alone create a strong nation” is being translated into action through these councils.
The statement noted that compared to 2004-14, the number of Zonal Council meetings has increased two-and-a-half times under the Modi government. “So far, 1600 issues have been discussed and 1303 of them, 81.43%, have been resolved,” it added.
He stressed that safety of women and children remains the top priority and called for increasing the number of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) to ensure prompt justice in sexual offences. He also said sectors such as cooperation, agriculture and fisheries can play a crucial role in employment generation and poverty eradication.
Shah highlighted that the Ministry of Cooperation has initiated 57 major reforms, including computerisation of PACS, setting up of three national-level cooperative societies, and establishing Tribhuvan Sahkari University.
The Home Minister also appealed to states to promote the spirit of patriotism by rekindling the message of Vande Mataram, citing the 150th anniversary of its creation. He further underlined the positive impact of the three new criminal laws and urged states to upgrade forensic and investigation infrastructure.
During the meeting, a wide range of national and regional issues were discussed, including ERSS-112, water-sharing, higher education, environmental matters, banking outreach, and integration of public hospitals under Ayushman Bharat. (KNC)