Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will undertake a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh beginning on Monday, marking his first trip to the state following the Centre's declaration of achieving a 'Naxal-free India' on March 31 this year.
The visit, scheduled for May 18 and 19, will combine a security-focused outreach in Bastar with high-level inter-state policy discussions, officials said.
On May 18, Shah will start his engagements in Raipur by flagging off new vehicles under the Emergency Response Support System (Dial 112) at the Parade Ground of the Police Training School. The initiative aims to strengthen emergency response capabilities and improve public safety infrastructure in the state.
Later the same day, the Home Minister will travel to Bastar, historically affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE), where he will inaugurate a ‘Jan Suvidha Kendra’ in the Netanar region. The centre is expected to enhance the delivery of essential public services and governance benefits to local residents.
Shah will also pay tribute to martyrs at Amar Vatika in Jagdalpur to acknowledge the sacrifices of security personnel and civilians in combating Naxal violence. He will then participate in an interaction session at Badal Academy in Jagdalpur, meeting families of martyrs, personnel from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), state special forces, police officials, Naxal-affected victims, and representatives of various community groups.
This outreach programme forms part of the Centre’s ongoing efforts to consolidate peace and development in regions previously impacted by insurgency. In the evening, Shah will attend the ‘Bastar Ke Sang’ folk cultural event, which highlights the tribal traditions and cultural vibrancy of the region.
On May 19, the Home Minister will preside over the 26th Central Zonal Council meeting in Chhattisgarh. The council, comprising Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, functions as a platform to enhance coordination and cooperation among these states.
The meeting is expected to address more than a dozen key issues, including strengthening inter-state coordination, expediting investigations into crimes against women and children, improving rural banking connectivity, and enhancing the implementation of welfare schemes.
Chief Ministers of the member states and two senior ministers from each will attend, along with senior officials such as Chief Secretaries and representatives from the Central government. The Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh government, is organising the meeting.
Zonal Councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, to provide a framework for dialogue and cooperation between states and between the Centre and states. The Union Home Minister chairs these councils, with Chief Ministers and other senior representatives as members.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently emphasised the importance of cooperative and competitive federalism for national development, with Zonal Councils serving as mechanisms for addressing shared challenges and promoting coordinated policy action.
The 25th Central Zonal Council meeting took place on June 24, 2025, in Varanasi. Over the past eleven years, numerous such meetings have reinforced the Centre’s focus on collaborative governance.
Shah’s visit to Chhattisgarh, following the announcement of a Naxal-free India, signals a government shift from security operations towards long-term development, dialogue, and enhanced institutional coordination in formerly affected areas.