Bhopal/Raipur, May 18 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will participate in the 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council scheduled to be held in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on May 19.

The primary purpose of Chief Minister Yadav’s visit to Jagdalpur is to deliberate on issues concerning the Centre and states, as well as matters involving member states, with a view to resolving them amicably.

The meeting will also focus on strengthening regional development and security coordination in the central zone, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office on Monday.

Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah will preside over the meeting as Chairman of the Central Zonal Council.

The Council comprises four member states — Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.

The Chhattisgarh government is hosting this year’s meeting.

Apart from Mohan Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will also attend the meeting.

Chief Secretaries of the member states, representatives of NITI Aayog, members of the Inter-State Council and other senior officials will also participate in the deliberations.

The agenda includes discussions on law and order, development projects and issues requiring coordination between states and the Centre.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Chhattisgarh on May 18 on a two-day visit combining Bastar outreach programmes with the Council meeting.

On May 19, the Home Minister will chair the Central Zonal Council meeting in Jagdalpur, bringing together chief ministers of neighbouring states for discussions on regional development and security challenges.

The Home Minister’s visit is expected to underline the government’s vision of a “Naxal-free and developed Bastar” as the Centre seeks to reinforce its message of peace, stability and inclusive governance in areas previously affected by Left-Wing Extremism.

For Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, the Jagdalpur visit underlines Madhya Pradesh’s role in inter-state coordination on issues ranging from security to resource-sharing and development planning across the central zone.

–IANS

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