New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah has chaired five meetings of Zonal Councils in the last three years, said Minister for State Home Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

"Since 2019, five meetings of Zonal Councils have been held... Meetings are chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah," reads Nityanand Rai's written answer to an Unstarred Question by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ramkumar Verma in Rajya Sabha.

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There are a total of five Zonal Councils which have been set up under the States Reorganization Act 1956, which include Northern Zonal Council, Central Zonal Council, Eastern Zonal Council, Western Zonal Council and Southern Zonal Council.

Councils consist of a Union Minister nominated by the President, Chief Minister of each of the states in the zone and two other Ministers of each such states nominated by the Governor and if there is no council of ministers present in the state, three members of each states to be nominated by the President and where any Union Territory is included in the Zone, not more than two members from each such territory to be nominated by the President.

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Zonal Councils act as an advisory board where irritants between Centre and States and amongst States are resolved through discussions and consultations. (ANI)

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