Amit Shah to chair 26th Central Zonal Council meet in Bastar on Tue

Raipur, May 18 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on Tuesday, marking the first time the high-level inter-state meeting is being held in the region once severely affected by Maoist violence.
The Central Zonal Council comprises Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said May 19 would be remembered as a historic day in Bastar's history as leaders from different states gather in district headquarters Jagdalpur for the meeting.
Shah arrived in Chhattisgarh on a three-day visit on Sunday, while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and and his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami reached Jagdalpur on Monday to take part in the meeting. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is likely to arrive on Tuesday.
Sai welcomed Yadav and Dhami and held discussions with them on various contemporary issues, a government statement said.
"The first-ever hosting of the zonal council meeting in Bastar is a matter of pride and growing confidence for the region, which was once affected by Maoist violence but is now emerging with a new identity of peace, security and development," Sai said.
He said the presence of the country's senior leadership and chief ministers from different states reflected the changing image of Bastar and increasing trust in the region.
The meeting would further strengthen inter-state coordination and play a historic role in building a developed, secure and self-reliant Bastar, the Chhattisgarh CM said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)