Central Zonal Council meet in Jagdalpur: Amit Shah to chair 26th session on May 19
Synopsis
Union Home Minister Amit Shah heads to Naxal-affected Bastar to chair the 26th Central Zonal Council meeting — a rare convergence of four chief ministers in a region the Centre is actively working to stabilise. The choice of Jagdalpur as venue is itself a political signal: governance is returning to a zone long defined by conflict.
Key Takeaways
Amit Shah will chair the 26th Central Zonal Council meeting in Jagdalpur, Bastar on 19 May .
The council comprises four states: Madhya Pradesh , Uttar Pradesh , Uttarakhand , and Chhattisgarh .
Chief Ministers Mohan Yadav , Yogi Adityanath , Pushkar Singh Dhami , and Vishnu Deo Sai will all attend.
Agenda covers law and order , development projects , and inter-state coordination issues.
Shah arrived in Chhattisgarh on 18 May for a two-day visit combining the council meet with Bastar outreach programmes.
The meeting signals the Centre's push for a 'Naxal-free and developed Bastar' .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Jagdalpur, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, on 19 May, bringing together chief ministers of four member states to deliberate on regional security, development, and inter-state coordination. The meeting is being hosted by the Chhattisgarh government.
Who Will Attend
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai are all scheduled to participate. Chief Secretaries of the member states, representatives of NITI Aayog, members of the Inter-State Council, and other senior officials will also join the deliberations.
Key Agenda Items
The council's agenda covers law and order, development projects, and issues requiring coordination between the member states and the Centre. The Central Zonal Council comprises four states — Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh — and functions as a formal platform for resolving inter-state disputes and aligning regional priorities.
Amit Shah's Bastar Visit and Naxal-Free Vision
Shah arrived in Chhattisgarh on 18 May on a two-day visit that combines the Council meeting with Bastar outreach programmes. His presence in Jagdalpur is expected to reinforce the Centre's stated vision of a 'Naxal-free and developed Bastar' — a message of peace, stability, and inclusive governance in areas previously affected by Left-Wing Extremism. This comes amid a sustained security push by the Centre in the Bastar region, where anti-Naxal operations have intensified over the past year.
Madhya Pradesh's Role in Central Zone Coordination
For Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, the Jagdalpur visit underscores Madhya Pradesh's active role in inter-state coordination on matters ranging from security to resource-sharing and development planning. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office on Monday, the primary purpose of Yadav's participation is to deliberate on issues concerning the Centre and states, with a view to resolving them amicably. The next steps from the meeting — including any joint resolutions or action points — are expected to be communicated following the conclusion of the session on 19 May.
Point of View
And convening four chief ministers and the Home Minister there sends a message that the Centre considers the region stabilised enough for high-level governance activity. Whether that confidence is matched on the ground is a separate question: Naxal violence has declined, but development indices in Bastar remain well below national averages. The real test of this meeting is not the optics of the gathering but whether the coordination it produces translates into verifiable outcomes on security and infrastructure in the central zone.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Central Zonal Council and which states are its members?
The Central Zonal Council is one of five statutory inter-state councils established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, to promote cooperation between states and the Centre. Its four member states are Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh.
Where and when is the 26th Central Zonal Council meeting being held?
The 26th meeting is scheduled for 19 May in Jagdalpur, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh government is hosting the session this year.
Who is chairing the 26th Central Zonal Council meeting?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will preside over the meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the Central Zonal Council. He arrived in Chhattisgarh on 18 May for a two-day visit.
What issues are on the agenda for the Jagdalpur council meeting?
The agenda includes law and order, development projects, and matters requiring coordination between the member states and the Centre, with a focus on strengthening regional development and security coordination in the central zone.
Why is the meeting being held in Bastar?
Bastar was previously one of India's most Naxal-affected regions. Hosting the meeting in Jagdalpur is intended to reinforce the Centre's vision of a 'Naxal-free and developed Bastar' and signal improved stability and governance in the area.
