Inter-State Council(ISC)

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19-Jul-2022: Centre-States Relations

The Inter-State Council (ISC), set up under Article 263 of the Constitution, has been assigned the duties of investigating and discussing such subjects in which some or all of the States or Union and one or more of the States have common interest; make recommendation for better co-ordination of policy and action with respect to these subjects; and deliberate upon such other matters of general interest to the States.

In the second meeting of the Inter-State Council held on 15.10.1996, the ISC has set up a Standing Committee under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Home Minister for continuous consultation and processing matters for consideration of the Council.

The Five Zonal Councils created under provision of States Reorganization Act, 1956 also provide a meeting ground to States and UTs in each Zone for resolution of inter-state and regional issues, fostering balanced socio-economic regional development and building harmonious Centre-State relations.

The ISC and the Zonal Council provide a strong mechanism for cooperative Centre-State relations on various matters including key social, economic planning, infrastructure, security, environment, inter-state transport and other issues for inclusive and equitable growth and sustainable development. In recent times, the number of meetings of the Zonal Councils have seen a significant rise.

During the last five years, 3 meetings of Standing Committee of the ISC, 12 meetings of Zonal Councils and 13 meetings of their Standing Committees were convened which deliberated a large number of inter State and Centre-State issues and resolved many of such issues.

There are well established mechanisms in place for good governance and for implementation of various schemes and programmes for citizen’s welfare.

25-May-2018: Inter-State Council Standing Committee completes its deliberations on Punchhi Commission report

The Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council (ISC) headed by the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has completed the onerous task of deliberations on all the 273 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission. Today's meeting was the 13th meeting of the Standing Committee of the ISC.

During the previous two meetings of the Standing Committee of the ISC held last year thorough deliberations were held on the recommendations contained in Volumes II to V of the Punchhi Commission’s Report.

Today, the Standing Committee examined in detail various recommendations of the Punchhi Commission contained in the remaining two volumes i.e. VI & VII (contained a total of 88 recommendations).

The recommendations in Volume VI of the Punchhi Commission report are related to Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure and cover the subjects on (a) Environment; (b) Water; (c) Forests; (d) Minerals and (e) Infrastructure.

The recommendations in Volume VII related to Socio-economic Development, Public Policy and Good Governance and cover the subjects on (a) Public Policy, Constitutional Governance and Public Administration; (b) Socio-political Developments and its Impact on Governance; (c) Basic Needs of People, Directive Principles and State Accountability, Centrally Sponsored Development Schemes and Federal Relations; (d) Migration, Human Development and Challenges to Constitutional Governance; and (e) Good Governance and Delivery of Public Services.

The Punchhi Commission notified in 2005 submitted its report in 2010. The recommendations of the Punchhi Commission, which are contained in seven Volumes pertain to History of Centre-State Relations in India; Constitutional Governance and Management of Centre-State Relations; Centre-State Financial Relations and Planning; Local Self-Governments and Decentralized Governance; Internal Security, Criminal Justice and Centre-State Co­operation; Environment, Natural Resources & Infrastructure; and Socio-Economic Development, Public Policy and Good Governance. The issues have been analysed in the Inter-State Council Secretariat.

The 67 recommendations in Volume II on ‘Constitutional Governance and the Management of Centre-State Relations’ of the report were considered by the Standing Committee in its 11th meeting held on 9.4.2017. 118 recommendations contained in Volumes III, IV & V of the Punchhi Commission's Report were considered by the Standing Committee in its 12th meeting held on 25.11.2017.

Today’s meeting concluded successfully after over two hours of deliberations. In his concluding remarks, Shri Rajnath Singh expressed satisfaction that the Standing Committee of the ISC, over a series of meetings since 2017, has completed deliberations on all the 273 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission Report. These recommendations of the Standing Committee finalized in the earlier two meetings as well as in today's meeting will be placed before the Inter-State Council for decision. With this, the work on Punchhi Commission Report, that had been pending for the last eight years, has been completed. It may be noted that the ISC meeting in 2016 was held after a gap of 10 years. Under the chairmanship of Shri Rajnath Singh, the institutions of ISC Standing Committee as well as Zonal Councils were rejuvenated and regular meetings held to promote harmonious Centre-State relations.

Pin It
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19-Jul-2022: Centre-States Relations

The Inter-State Council (ISC), set up under Article 263 of the Constitution, has been assigned the duties of investigating and discussing such subjects in which some or all of the States or Union and one or more of the States have common interest; make recommendation for better co-ordination of policy and action with respect to these subjects; and deliberate upon such other matters of general interest to the States.

In the second meeting of the Inter-State Council held on 15.10.1996, the ISC has set up a Standing Committee under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Home Minister for continuous consultation and processing matters for consideration of the Council.

The Five Zonal Councils created under provision of States Reorganization Act, 1956 also provide a meeting ground to States and UTs in each Zone for resolution of inter-state and regional issues, fostering balanced socio-economic regional development and building harmonious Centre-State relations.

The ISC and the Zonal Council provide a strong mechanism for cooperative Centre-State relations on various matters including key social, economic planning, infrastructure, security, environment, inter-state transport and other issues for inclusive and equitable growth and sustainable development. In recent times, the number of meetings of the Zonal Councils have seen a significant rise.

During the last five years, 3 meetings of Standing Committee of the ISC, 12 meetings of Zonal Councils and 13 meetings of their Standing Committees were convened which deliberated a large number of inter State and Centre-State issues and resolved many of such issues.

There are well established mechanisms in place for good governance and for implementation of various schemes and programmes for citizen’s welfare.

25-May-2018: Inter-State Council Standing Committee completes its deliberations on Punchhi Commission report

The Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council (ISC) headed by the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has completed the onerous task of deliberations on all the 273 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission. Today's meeting was the 13th meeting of the Standing Committee of the ISC.

During the previous two meetings of the Standing Committee of the ISC held last year thorough deliberations were held on the recommendations contained in Volumes II to V of the Punchhi Commission’s Report.

Today, the Standing Committee examined in detail various recommendations of the Punchhi Commission contained in the remaining two volumes i.e. VI & VII (contained a total of 88 recommendations).

The recommendations in Volume VI of the Punchhi Commission report are related to Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure and cover the subjects on (a) Environment; (b) Water; (c) Forests; (d) Minerals and (e) Infrastructure.

The recommendations in Volume VII related to Socio-economic Development, Public Policy and Good Governance and cover the subjects on (a) Public Policy, Constitutional Governance and Public Administration; (b) Socio-political Developments and its Impact on Governance; (c) Basic Needs of People, Directive Principles and State Accountability, Centrally Sponsored Development Schemes and Federal Relations; (d) Migration, Human Development and Challenges to Constitutional Governance; and (e) Good Governance and Delivery of Public Services.

The Punchhi Commission notified in 2005 submitted its report in 2010. The recommendations of the Punchhi Commission, which are contained in seven Volumes pertain to History of Centre-State Relations in India; Constitutional Governance and Management of Centre-State Relations; Centre-State Financial Relations and Planning; Local Self-Governments and Decentralized Governance; Internal Security, Criminal Justice and Centre-State Co­operation; Environment, Natural Resources & Infrastructure; and Socio-Economic Development, Public Policy and Good Governance. The issues have been analysed in the Inter-State Council Secretariat.

The 67 recommendations in Volume II on ‘Constitutional Governance and the Management of Centre-State Relations’ of the report were considered by the Standing Committee in its 11th meeting held on 9.4.2017. 118 recommendations contained in Volumes III, IV & V of the Punchhi Commission's Report were considered by the Standing Committee in its 12th meeting held on 25.11.2017.

Today’s meeting concluded successfully after over two hours of deliberations. In his concluding remarks, Shri Rajnath Singh expressed satisfaction that the Standing Committee of the ISC, over a series of meetings since 2017, has completed deliberations on all the 273 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission Report. These recommendations of the Standing Committee finalized in the earlier two meetings as well as in today's meeting will be placed before the Inter-State Council for decision. With this, the work on Punchhi Commission Report, that had been pending for the last eight years, has been completed. It may be noted that the ISC meeting in 2016 was held after a gap of 10 years. Under the chairmanship of Shri Rajnath Singh, the institutions of ISC Standing Committee as well as Zonal Councils were rejuvenated and regular meetings held to promote harmonious Centre-State relations.

2017

25-Nov-2017: Union Home Minister chairs 12th meeting of Standing Committee of Inter-State Council

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chaired the 12th meeting of the Standing Committee of Inter-State Council (ISC).

Addressing the meeting, Shri Rajnath Singh said that a number of steps have been taken in recent years by the Central Government to promote cooperative federalism. He said that the meeting of the Inter State Council, which was held in July, 2016, happened after a gap of 10 years. Subsequent to that, meetings of the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council are being periodically convened to lend speed and purpose to the process of harmonizing Center State relations, he said. He expressed satisfaction over the fact that the meetings of the Zonal Councils have now become regular and periodical. He also said that our effort is to see that at least one meeting of all the Zonal Councils is convened annually. He mentioned that a number of important State-to-State and Centre-State issues that are raised at these meetings find resolution. In 2015 such 82 issues were resolved and 140 issues were resolved in 2016.

He expressed satisfaction over the fact that the Inter State Council and the Standing Committee have been rejuvenated. He said that it is important for us to promote the spirit of cooperation with greater zest and zeal and expressed satisfaction over the deliberations held today in harmonious and congenial atmosphere for arriving at consensus on some complex issues that have been covered in the agenda notes.

The Home Minister said that Volumes-I & II were discussed during the eleventh meeting of the Standing Committee in April this year and Volumes-VI and VII will be discussed during the next meeting of the Standing Committee. Shri Rajnath Singh said that the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Punchhi Commission’s report will then be placed before the Inter-State Council, headed by the Prime Minister.

The subjects discussed at the meeting included : Matters related to financial transfers from the Centre to the States; Goods and Services Tax; Structure and devolution of functions to local bodies; District Planning; Special provisions for Fifth and Sixth Scheduled Areas; Maintenance of communal harmony; Deployment of Central Forces; Migration issues; Police reforms; Criminal justice system and other internal security issues. The Standing Committee at its meeting considered 118 recommendations contained in Volumes-III, IV and V and finalised its recommendations.

The Punchhi Commission was set up by the Government under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Madan Mohan Punchhi, former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India in 2005. The Punchhi Commission submitted its report in 2010 containing 273 recommendations in 7 volumes. The 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of ISC was held on 9th April this year after a gap of 11 years and 69 recommendations of the Punchhi Commission relating to the Constitutional provisions on various subjects such as the role of Governors, the Inter-State Council, assent to bills passed by Legislative Assemblies etc. were discussed. The convening of the Standing Committee meetings twice in the same year reflects the importance attached to the promotion of harmonious Centre-State relations.

9-Apr-2017: 11th Standing Committee meeting of Inter-State Council

The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh chaired the 11th Standing Committee meeting of the Inter-State Council. The Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Defence, Shri Arun Jaitley, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister of Tripura, Shri Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath attended the meeting. The Ministers from states of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan represented these states at the meeting. Senior officers from the Union Ministries and from the state Governments also assisted the members of the Standing Committee in the discussion along with the officers from the Inter-State Council Secretariat.

In his inaugural address, the Home Minister said that we share a common desire to take this nation forward and we are fully convinced that prosperity can come only when there is peace and stability. He further emphasized that India, is a nation characterized by unity in diversity, and hence it is important that trust and cordiality form the bedrock for Centre-State cooperation and we rise above narrow sectarian interests to focus on the larger picture of national development. Today’s meeting was in pursuance of the decisions of the Inter-State Council meeting held on July 16, 2016.

The Punchhi Commission notified in 2005, submitted its report in 2010. The recommendations of the Punchhi Commission, which are contained in seven Volumes pertain to History of Centre-State Relations in India; Constitutional Governance and Management of Centre-State Relations; Centre-State Financial Relations and Planning; Local Self-Governments and Decentralized Governance; Internal Security, Criminal Justice and Centre State Co-operation; Environment, Natural Resources & Infrastructure; and Socio-Economic Development, Public Policy and Good Governance. The various Union Ministries and all the State Governments responded to the recommendations made in the report by providing detailed comments. The comments have been analysed in the Inter-State Council Secretariat.

The Standing Committee examined in detail various recommendations of the Punchhi Commission contained in Volume II & III. The Volume II of the report is related to provisions of the Constitution that are concerned with important aspects of Constitutional governance such as role of Governors, deployment of Central forces, federal balance of power, ensuring better coordination between Centre and States and other important issues of Centre-State relations. The recommendations in Volume III of the Punchhi Commission report are related to Centre-State financial relations and cover the subjects of (a) fiscal transfers to states (b) Goods and Services Tax and (c) the Centre-State fiscal relations. The discussions centred around various aspects of Centre-State relations having implications for governance and flowing from Constitutional provisions.

The remaining volumes of the Punchhi Commission recommendations will be taken up in subsequent meetings of the Standing Committee along with the implications of the recent developments in terms of the GST Act, the 14th Finance Commission Report and formation of NITI AAYOG, rationalisation of Centrally sponsored schemes etc.

The recommendations of the Standing Committee finalized at this meeting will be placed before the Inter-State Council.