Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the Centre’s commitment to state development during the 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Ranchi on July 10, 2025, urging collective action from Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal. Held at Hotel Radisson Blu, the meeting addressed 20 critical inter-state issues, with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren raising 31 state-specific concerns, including ₹1.36 lakh crore in pending coal PSU dues, a separate Sarna religious code for tribals, and enhanced infrastructure like a proposed Metro project.

Shah assured full support to eradicate Naxalism by March 31, 2026, and welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling on Bihar’s electoral roll revision. Bihar highlighted unresolved asset division issues post-2000 bifurcation, while Jharkhand pushed for amendments to the Coal Bearing Areas Act to ensure land return after mining. Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi raised concerns like the Driver Mahasangh strike, and West Bengal, represented by Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, discussed the Mayurakshi Dam water-sharing dispute.

Key agenda items included fast-tracking sexual offense cases, expanding banking in remote villages, and implementing the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112). The meeting, originally set for May 10, was rescheduled due to India-Pakistan tensions. With robust security and traffic curbs in Ranchi, the council fostered cooperative federalism to strengthen education, health, and urban planning, aligning with Prime Minister Modi’s vision for vibrant states.

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