Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 25 (ANI): Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday lauded the decision to hold the next meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Chhattisgarh's Bastar.

The decision to hold the next meeting in Bastar was announced during the 25th meeting of the Central Zonal Council held in Varanasi on Tuesday, where it was decided that the next session of the Council will take place in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.

Welcoming the move, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai remarked that the decision to hold the Council meeting in Bastar is not only a matter of immense pride for the region but also a 'transformative opportunity'. With the unwavering support of the Central Government, Bastar is set to redefine its identity, not as a land of conflict, but as a land of possibilities and progress, he added.

Officials expressed hope that by the time the next Council convenes, Bastar would have witnessed decisive progress in the ongoing efforts to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism. With this forward-looking approach, the region is being envisioned as a future model of peace, resilience, and inclusive growth, as per a statement.

Meanwhile, a total of 19 issues were discussed in the 25th meeting of the Central Zonal Council, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

These issues included several matters of national importance, the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for the speedy investigation and prompt disposal of rape cases against women and children, provision of brick-and-mortar banking facilities within the designated radius of every village, and implementation of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement.

In the meeting, the Home Minister suggested that 'all states of the Zonal Council should ensure the eradication of child malnutrition, bring the dropout ratio down to zero, and strengthen the cooperative sector.' The Home Minister also urged the member states to increase the income of Gram Panchayats and to formulate rules for this purpose.

He said that enhancing the income of Panchayats would make India's three-tier democratic Panchayati Raj system more effective The meeting was attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.

Senior ministers from the member states, the Union Home Secretary, the Secretary of the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Chief Secretaries of the member states, and other senior officials from the states and central ministries and departments also participated in the meeting. (ANI)