Union Home Minister And Minister Of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah Chairs The 28th Meeting Of The Western Zonal Council In Panaji, Goa.

New Delhi, Delhi, 7th of September, 2026 : Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today chaired the 28th meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Panaji, Goa. The meeting was attended by Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, and Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Shri Praful K. Patel. Senior officials of the Government of India and the State Governments/Union Territory also participated in the meeting of the Council. Addressing the gathering, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah 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. He said that the Indian economy recording such a growth rate amid global turbulence is a matter of pride for all of us. Shri Shah said that the Western Region is extremely important from several perspectives and that this region is the country's largest economic, industrial and financial centre. Shri Amit Shah said that since 2014, Prime Minister Shri 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. He 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% 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. Union Home Minister said that over the last 12 years, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has worked to realise the provision of cooperative federalism enshrined in our Constitution. He said that after Shri Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, there has been a significant increase in the number of meetings of the Zonal Councils. Shri Amit Shah said 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. This result is indicative of the functionality and effectiveness of these meetings. This has been possible with the cooperation of all State Governments, Union Territories and Central Ministries and Departments, with the Inter-State Council Secretariat playing an active role. Shri Amit Shah said that the Zonal Councils have now become an instrument for monitoring the implementation of public welfare schemes instead of dispute resolution. He said, there are no longer any disputes among the states of the Western Region; this is a major achievement. Shri Shah also said that all the issues included in today's meeting were related to monitoring. Several disputes between States over rivers have also been resolved in the Zonal Council. Work is also being undertaken through the Zonal Councils on child malnutrition, underweight and stunting. The penetration of Aadhaar is also being monitored, and monitoring is also being undertaken here to ensure the successful implementation of Ayushman Bharat cards. Western Region should also play a leading role in the implementation of the New Nyaya Sanhitas and in making India's fight against drugs a success. Good work has also been done in the computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), with Maharashtra achieving a rate of 98 per cent and Gujarat 92 per cent. He said that States should also adopt the Gobardhan model established by Banas Dairy. Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Modi is continuously monitoring the strategy against cybercrimes through PRAGATI. All Urban Cooperative Banks in the States should be connected with FCFRS. There is a need to encourage cooperative banks to integrate with MuleHunter AI. We also need to move forward to ensure that all cooperative banks are connected with I4C. Over the next two years, the Ministry of Home Affairs will move forward very seriously on coastal security. Shri Amit Shah said that all four members of the Western Zonal Council are also leading the country in green energy. The Government of India has formulated a very lucrative policy for data centres, and its maximum benefit should be taken. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Zonal Councils are moving forward in the areas of development and public welfare. 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. 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.