Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that it is our good fortune that Madhya Pradesh got the opportunity to host the 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council in the year of Amrit Mahotsav of independence. CM Chouhan while welcoming the guests who visited Bhopal, the city of Lakes in the council meeting, said that the federal structure of India has emerged stronger in the last eight years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We have to forget the differences of ideology and find a way for India's development. Central Zonal Council, under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is working for the fulfillment of the resolutions of Prime Minister Modi and co-operative federalism is gaining strength. With institutional measures like NITI Aayog, Chief Minister’s Council and Central Zonal Council, the states and the Centre are working together like Team India. Chief Minister Chouhan was addressing the meeting of Central Zonal Council at Kubhabhau Thakre Auditorium.

sharing of mutual thoughts and experiences. Many complex and policy issues have been resolved through council meetings. The Council has made the relations between the Centre and the States strong and positive in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.

Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh is working continuously to realise the resolve of Prime Minister Modi. The state has achieved a growth rate of 19.74 per cent at the prevailing rates, which is the highest in the country. With the aim of making India a $ 5 trillion economy, work is going on in the state with the target of providing a contributing of 500 billion dollars. Madhya Pradesh was the first in the country to make a roadmap for self-reliant Madhya Pradesh and work is going on at a rapid pace. The state has made development, public welfare and Swaraj, the three mantras of Prime Minister Modi, as its mission. Increasing capital expenditure leads to infrastructure development and new employment opportunities are also created. Therefore, the state is now making capital expenditure up to 04 percent of the State’s gross domestic product. A budget of Rs 48,800 crore has been kept for capital expenditure this year, which is the biggest ever budget provision.

Chief Minister said that our biggest priority is employment and self-employment. Success has been achieved in connecting the sisters of 43 lakh families in various economic activities through self-help groups. Chief Minister Chouhan said that special efforts are being made for diversification of agriculture and promotion of natural farming. A special campaign will be started from September 25, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, for cent percent saturation in the beneficiary-oriented flagship schemes of the Central and State Governments.

Chief Minister Chouhan placed key points for deliberation in front of the Council

To direct the banks for easy availability of credit to the beneficiaries under the Swamitva Yojana.

A single citizen database is being created in the state by linking various other databases with the Samagra portal. Making centralized institutional arrangement for integration of state portals with various central government portals.

Kisan Credit Cards are being given to fish farmers and livestock farmers in the state at zero percent interest rate. Banks are not taking interest in accepting KCC. To issue guidelines to the banks from the Central Government level in this regard.

Need to make a policy regarding returning such land allotted to Central Undertakings and Defence Establishments in the state to the State Government which they are not using.

Madhya Pradesh has degraded forests covering an area of 36 lakh square kilometers. Keeping this area of forests in view, the rules regarding compensatory afforestation should be relaxed, so that the work of compensatory afforestation can be made possible in the state against the plans of other states.

Chief Minister Chouhan while thanking the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh and the entire Inter-State Council Secretariat said that Prime Minister Modi's mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas-Sabka Prayas” is meaningful. While doing so, the state and the Centre will work as a team for the welfare of the people.

The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami requested to start a campaign to connect the seasonal rivers of Uttarakhand with glacier-based rivers. He expressed the need to provide support for making arrangements for large number of pilgrims coming to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, Gangotri pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand and to develop all-weather road in the border area with China and to boost mobile network and connectivity in the villages of mountainous region.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi said that the spirit of cooperative federalism has proved helpful in Corona management. He stressed the need for coordination at the inter-state level on issues related to cow-smuggling. Along with this, he also stressed the need for joint efforts for effective control of lumpy disease in cattle.

The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel along with discussing the topics related to Naxal affected districts, proposed to provide more time for completion of work in Bastar division in Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojna, give International Airport status to Raipur Airport, set up solar plants in aspirational districts and establish a plant by Indian Oil to make ethanol from paddy straw in Chhattisgarh.