27 of 30 topics resolved in Western Zonal Council meet chaired by Amit Shah in Diu

Out of 30 topics discussed, 27 have been resolved in the 25th Western Regional Council meeting chaired by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in Diu on Saturday.

Out of 30 topics discussed, 27 have been resolved in the 25th Western Regional Council meeting chaired by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in Diu on Saturday. As per the Home Ministry statement, only three topics are left for further discussion.

"It shows the resolve and commitment of the government led by Narendra Modi towards the all-round development of the nation in the spirit of cooperative federalism," the ministry said. While attending the meeting, the Home Minister stressed the need for early investigation of rape and sexual offences against women and children and stringent punishment in a time-bound manner in these cases, the statement further said

Shah further directed that "additional Director General of Police level officers, if possible women officers, should be entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the investigation of all such cases in the Police Headquarters of each state". Presiding over the Western Zonal Council, Shah said "work should be done towards providing mobile connectivity to all the villages in the Western region within a year".

"Cash deposit facility through Common Service Centers should be extended in a time-bound manner and all banks should be linked to the platform and this should be reviewed quarterly." The issue of rates of water supplied to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu by the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board was also resolved in the council meeting, said the statement.

As per the vision given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand the banking network in rural areas, the statement said, it was decided that the Department of Posts will introduce additional 20,715 India Post Payment Bank Live Touch Points which will provide banking facilities in addition to regular postal services. "Co-operative banks and other banks including India Post Payments Bank should ensure that every unbanked village in the Western region is provided with banking facilities within 5 kms within the next year.

"States should include schemes of all states other than centrally sponsored schemes on the Direct Benefit Transfer platform," added the statement. Noting that the regional councils provide a forum for discussion in a structured manner on issues affecting one or more states or issues between the Center and the states, it was also decided that the meetings of the Zonal Council should be used by the states and UTs to share their best practices.

In the last eight years, under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, the number of meetings of the Zonal Councils and its Standing Committees have increased by three times. There have been 18 meetings of various Zonal Councils and 24 of their Standing Committees in the last eight years, whereas in the corresponding period of last eight years only six and eight meetings were held respectively.

Regional councils help in developing a coordinated approach through discussion and exchange of views between states on important issues of social and economic development. (ANI)

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