Published on: November 13, 2024

RECONSTITUTION OF THE INTER-STATE COUNCIL

RECONSTITUTION OF THE INTER-STATE COUNCIL

NEWS – The Inter-State Council, a constitutional body aimed at addressing disputes and fostering cooperation among Indian states, has been reconstituted with significant updates to its leadership and composition.

LEADERSHIP AND COMPOSITION OF THE INTER-STATE COUNCIL

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been appointed as the Chairman of the reconstituted Inter-State Council.
  • The council includes nine Union ministers and the Chief Ministers of all Indian states.
  • Key members of the main panel include leaders from various parties:
    • Lalan Singh (JD(U))
    • Chandrababu Naidu (RDP)
  • Permanent Invitees:
    • Additional leaders, primarily ministers from allied parties, have been added as permanent invitees:
      • HD Kumaraswamy (JD(S))
      • Jiten Manjhi (HAM)
      • Chirag Paswan (LJP(RV))
      • Alongside these, 13 Union ministers have also been included.

STANDING COMMITTEE

  • The reconstituted Standing Committee is now headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
  • Functions of the Standing Committee:
    • Facilitates continuous consultation on matters requiring Centre-State cooperation.
    • Prepares matters for Council consideration:
      • Screens and processes all issues related to Centre-State relations before presenting them to the Inter-State Council.
    • Implementation Monitoring:
      • The Standing Committee is tasked with monitoring the implementation of Council recommendations.
      • Reviews any issues referred by the Council or its Chairman.

ADDITIONAL INFO – INTERSTATE COUNCIL

  • Established: 1990, under Article 263 of the Indian Constitution
  • Purpose: Advisory, quasi-federal body to prevent and resolve interstate disputes

Functions:

  • Investigate and advise on potential interstate issues
  • Promote cooperative federalism
  • Discuss and recommend policies on national interests
  • Monitor implementation of recommendations

Significance:

  • Bridges trust gap between center and states
  • Provides platform for states to voice concerns
  • Fosters trust and amicable relations between center and states

Challenges:

  • Underutilization (only 10 meetings in 22 years)
  • Lacks autonomy and technical expertise
  • Non-binding recommendations
  • Limited civil society participation