Bhubaneswar, July 7: The 15th Standing Committee meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council was held at the State Convention Centre, Lokseva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, with representatives from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal deliberating on key governance, development and inter-state coordination issues.

Organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs in association with the Odisha Government, the meeting was chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg. Senior officials from the participating states and the Central Government attended the deliberations.

The committee reviewed 74 agenda items, including both pending and new proposals. Discussions focused on inter-state water disputes, flood management, railway and infrastructure projects, rehabilitation and resettlement, mining in environmentally sensitive zones, human-elephant conflict, cyber security, telecom connectivity, rural banking access and the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes.

Special emphasis was placed on the Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project and recurring flood issues affecting Odisha and Jharkhand. Officials from the Water Resources Departments of both states were directed to hold joint consultations and work towards a mutually acceptable solution before the next council meeting.

The meeting also examined progress in telecom and digital connectivity, cybercrime investigations, banking services in unbanked villages, National Highway projects, rehabilitation linked to dam projects, railway compensation matters and the implementation of various Central schemes.

Other issues discussed included food safety regulations, expansion of data centres and digital infrastructure, implementation of the PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme, mineral block auctions, PMGSY road projects, Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, PMAY 2.0, establishment of special courts for rape and POCSO cases, urban master planning, reduction of school dropout rates and cooperative sector development.

During a special session on innovative governance, participating states presented successful initiatives. Odisha showcased its Ama Sathi WhatsApp chatbot, the Subhadra Scheme for women’s empowerment and its tourism land bank initiative. Bihar highlighted the BHAVYA health application, while Jharkhand shared achievements in fisheries development and community healthcare outreach. West Bengal presented innovations under PM e-VIDYA as well as best practices in flood management, dredging, revenue generation and e-auctions.

Inter-State Council Secretariat Secretary Ashish Srivastava termed the meeting productive, stating that several inter-state issues had been resolved while the remaining matters would be taken up at the next Eastern Zonal Council meeting to be chaired by the Union Home Minister.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg underscored the need for timely action and greater coordination among states and departments to accelerate development and strengthen governance across the Eastern Zonal region.