Inter-state water disputes, flood management, infrastructure development and other key regional issues dominated discussions at the 15th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Eastern Zonal Council held in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
The meeting concluded with the participating states resolving to strengthen inter-state coordination, expedite the resolution of pending issues and ensure more effective implementation of development programmes across the eastern region.
The agenda also covered railway projects, rehabilitation and resettlement, mining in ecologically sensitive areas, human-elephant conflict, cyber security, digital infrastructure, telecom connectivity, banking access in unbanked rural villages and Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
Organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs in association with the Odisha government, the meeting was chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg. Senior officials from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, including Inter-State Council Secretariat Secretary Ashish Srivastava, Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Jharkhand Development Commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh and West Bengal Additional Chief Secretary Binod Kumar, attended the meeting.
The Standing Committee discussed 74 agenda items, including 12 pending issues from the previous meeting, 61 new proposals and one item on best practices adopted by the participating states.
The Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project and recurring flood-related concerns affecting Odisha and Jharkhand received special attention. The Water Resources Secretaries of both states were directed to hold joint discussions and work out an optimal solution before the next meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council.
The committee also reviewed telecom connectivity in Odisha, expansion of banking services in unbanked rural villages, National Highways Authority of India projects, cybercrime investigations, construction of dams in Jharkhand and related rehabilitation and compensation issues, as well as railway land acquisition and compensation.
Development initiatives reviewed included strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting data centres and IT projects, mandatory biometric updates for children, implementation of the PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme, auction of major mineral blocks, PMGSY road connectivity, Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, PMAY 2.0, establishment of special courts for speedy disposal of rape and POCSO cases, updating urban master plans, reducing school dropout rates and cooperative sector initiatives under the “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” programme.
Inter-State Council Secretariat Secretary Ashish Srivastava described the meeting as successful, saying several inter-state issues, including matters involving the Union government, had been resolved. The remaining issues, after further deliberations, will be placed before the next meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council, to be chaired by the Union Home Minister.
Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg urged the participating states and departments to work in close coordination to ensure tangible progress on the decisions taken and accelerate the eastern region’s development.