Chairing the 28th Western Zonal Council meet in Goa, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that no disputes remain among the states of the Western Region, calling it a major achievement. Key national and regional issues were also discussed.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired the 28th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Goa, announcing that “there are no longer any disputes among the states of the Western Region.” Shah said that all the issues included in the meeting were related to monitoring. “There are no longer any disputes among the states of the Western Region; this is a major achievement,” Shah said while addressing the meeting.
Key Issues Discussed
At the 28th meeting of the Western Zonal Council, several extremely important issues were discussed for the member states as well as for the country. These included the implementation of Fast Track Special Courts for speedy investigation and early disposal of cases of rape against women and children, issues related to the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), issues related to food safety standards, Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, provision of brick-and-mortar banking facilities within the prescribed radius of every village, issues related to railway development projects, issues concerning environmental clearances, and others.
National Priorities on the Agenda
In addition, issues of national importance were also discussed, including urban master planning, issues related to electricity supply, strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACSs), eliminating malnutrition among children through the Poshan Abhiyaan, reducing the school dropout rate among school children, participation of public hospitals in the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and issues related to cybercrime and digital infrastructure, among others.
The meeting was attended by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Praful K Patel. Senior officials of the Central government and the state governments, as well as the Union Territory, also participated in the meeting of the council.
Shah Praises Economic Growth
Addressing the gathering, the Home Minister said that Goa contributes much more to economic growth than its geographical size would suggest due to advanced tourism, high per capita income and mines. He said that recently, the country recorded a growth rate of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of the financial year 2026–2027. Shah further mentioned that the Indian economy recording such a growth rate amid global turbulence is a matter of pride for all of us.
Western Region: The ‘WEST Engine’ of Growth
Noting that the Western region is extremely important from several perspectives, Shah said this region is the country’s largest economic, industrial and financial centre. Since 2014, he pointed out, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has continuously worked, along with numerous administrative reforms, to transform the country’s economy into a rapidly moving economy. He said that Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and the three states of the Western Zonal Council have also made a significant contribution towards achieving the growth rate of 7.8 per cent. Shah said that the Western Region is known as the WEST Engine of the country’s economic growth. W stands for wealth and finance, which are generated in this region; E stands for exports and ports; S stands for start-ups and semiconductors; and T stands for tourism and the blue economy, in which the Western Region has the largest share in the country.
“More than 1 crore tourists visit Goa, of whom 5 lakh are foreign tourists. Tourism contributes 16 per cent of Goa’s GSDP. Maharashtra ranks first in the country with 33,872 start-ups. Dholera has now become a hub in the semiconductor sector. Gujarat’s Mundra Port handles the highest volume of cargo, and Deendayal Port is the largest port in terms of cargo volume. Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, is also emerging as a major hub for global capital,” the Home Minister added.
Increased Frequency of Council Meetings
He also stated that during 2004 to 2014, the total number of meetings of the Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees was only 25, whereas since 2014, a total of 71 meetings of the Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees have been held, which is an increase of nearly three times. He said that the nearly three-fold increase in the number of meetings is an excellent example of Prime Minister Modi’s concept of Team India. A total of 1,893 issues were discussed in these meetings, out of which 1,445 issues have been resolved. (ANI)
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