INTER
STATE COUNCIL - POLITY
News: PM Modi headed Inter-State Council
reconstituted; Amit Shah Chairman of standing committee
What's
in the news?
●
The Inter-State Council, which works to
promote and support cooperative federalism in the country, has been reconstituted
with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Chairman and Chief Ministers of all States
and six Union ministers as members.
Key
takeaways:
●
Ten union ministers will be the permanent
invitees to the Inter-State Council, according to an official notification.
●
The government has also reconstituted the
standing committee of the Inter-State Council with Union Home Minister Amit
Shah as Chairman.
Inter
State Council:
●
It is a mechanism that was constituted to
support Centre-State and Inter-State coordination and cooperation in India.
Constitutional
Provisions:
●
Article
263 - The Inter-State Council was established under Article
263 of the Constitution, which states that the President may constitute such a
body if a need is felt for it.
Objective:
●
The Council is basically meant to serve as
a forum for discussions among various governments.
Sarkaria
Commission:
●
In 1988, the Commission suggested the
Council should exist as a permanent body and in 1990 it came into existence
through a Presidential Order.
Functions:
●
To investigate
and discuss subjects in which the states or the centre have a common
interest.
●
To make
recommendations upon any such subject for the better coordination of policy
and action on it.
●
To deliberate upon such other matters of
general interest to the states as may be referred to it by the chairman.
●
It also facilitates consideration of all
pending and emerging issues of the Centre-State and inter-State relations by
the zonal councils and inter-State council
●
It develops a sound system of monitoring
the implementation of the recommendations of the inter-State council and zonal
councils.
Mandate:
●
To create a strong institutional framework
to promote and support cooperative
federalism in the country and activate the council and zonal councils by
organizing its regular meetings.
Composition:
●
The Prime
Minister is the chairman of the Council.
●
Members
include the:
○
Chief ministers of all the states.
○
Chief ministers of union territories
having legislative assemblies.
○
Administrators of union territories not
having legislative assemblies.
○
Governors of States under President’s
rule.
○
Six Central cabinet ministers, including
the home minister, are to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
○
Ten Ministers of Cabinet rank / Minister
of State (independent charge) nominated by the Chairman of the Council (i.e.,
Prime Minister) are permanent invitees to the Council.
●
Previously there were five Union ministers
who were permanent invitees to the Council.
Other
Key takeaways:
●
The council is a recommendatory body.
●
The Council may meet at least thrice a year.
●
All questions are decided by consensus.