Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council scheduled near Chennai. Official sources described the meeting on Wednesday night as a courtesy visit, marking the first such interaction for Vijay after assuming office as the Chief Minister.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lead the deliberations of the Southern Zonal Council at a seaside resort in Kovalam on the outskirts of Chennai on Thursday. The meeting is set to address important inter-state and national issues. According to the Union Government, the council serves as an effective forum for resolving disputes between the Centre and member states or union territories.
Key leadership from southern states is slated to participate in the deliberations. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Kerala representatives are set to take part in the discussions.
The agenda for the council includes several ongoing regional challenges, notably inter-state river water sharing disputes between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In addition to these regional matters, the council meetings regularly discuss broad issues of national importance.
The Southern Zonal Council comprises the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, along with the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.
Following the conclusion of the official meetings on Thursday, Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit the ancient shore temple complex in Mamallapuram. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Mamallapuram served as a prominent seaport during the time of Periplus in the 1st century AD and Ptolemy in AD 140, with historical evidence of architectural activity dating back to the period of Mahendravarman-I between AD 600 and 630.
"Inter-state cooperation and structured dialogue between the Centre and regional governments are fundamental to maintaining economic stability and operational predictability for businesses operating across state borders. When key regional stakeholders address infrastructural and resource-sharing challenges—such as river water distribution—through established administrative forums like the Southern Zonal Council, it creates a more cohesive regulatory and commercial environment. For entrepreneurs and enterprises expanding regionally, stable inter-state relations minimize supply chain disruptions and policy friction." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
