Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, September 7, 2026, chaired the 28th Western Zonal Council Meeting at Dona Paula in Goa. The meeting was held to discuss issues between western states and improve cooperation between the Centre and states.Key HighlightsAmit Shah chaired the Western Zonal Council Meeting 2026 in Dona Paula, Goa.Chief Ministers and senior ministers from Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra took part.Representatives from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu also joined.The meeting discussed security, health, education, cybercrime, banking and digital infrastructure.Who Attended the Goa Meeting?The Amit Shah Goa meeting was organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Government of Goa hosted the meeting.Amit Shah is the Chairman of the Western Zonal Council. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is the Vice-Chairman.Representatives from Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu participated in the Goa Zonal Council meeting.Chief Ministers and two senior ministers from each member state are part of the council. Senior officers from the Central Government, state governments and Union Territories also attended the meeting.What Is the Western Zonal Council?The 28th Western Zonal Council Meeting is a meeting of the Zonal Council for the western region of India. The council provides a platform where states and the Centre can discuss common issues.The council works on the idea of cooperative federalism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed the importance of cooperation between the Centre and states for national development.The Western Zonal Council 2026 plays an advisory role. It helps states work together and find solutions to issues that affect more than one state.“Strong States make a strong nation.”Key Issues DiscussedSeveral important public and national issues were part of the discussions at the Amit Shah Western Zonal Council meeting.These included faster investigation of rape cases involving women and children. The meeting also discussed Fast Track Special Courts for speedy justice.Other issues included the Emergency Response Support System 112, food safety standards and banking facilities in villages.The council also discussed nutrition, education, health, power sector reforms and urban planning. Strengthening the cooperative system, cybercrime and digital infrastructure were also important topics.Focus on Better CooperationThe inter-state council meeting India framework helps states and the Centre discuss common problems. It also aims to improve coordination between governments.Over the past 12 years, 70 meetings of different Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees have been held.The latest Western Zonal Council Meeting 2026 in Goa is expected to further strengthen cooperation among western states and help improve public services and development.Also Read : Amit Shah Seeks Early Resolution of South India’s Pending Water Disputes
