Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah is scheduled to chair the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council (SZC) on August 20, 2026, at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu. The meeting will bring together the leadership and senior officials of southern states and Union Territories to discuss issues requiring cooperation between the Centre and the states, as well as matters involving two or more states.
States and Union Territories Participating
The Southern Zonal Council covers Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. It also includes the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.
The meeting is expected to include the Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and administrators of the participating states and Union Territories. Two senior ministers from each state are also expected to attend. Chief Secretaries, advisers and other senior officials from state governments, along with officials from the Central government, will participate in the discussions.
Major Issues Expected to Be Discussed
A key purpose of the meeting is to provide a platform for resolving inter-state disputes and Centre-state matters through discussion and cooperation.
Among the important regional issues expected to come up are river-water sharing, matters connected with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, and other development-related concerns. Water-sharing disputes involving Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala remain important issues in the southern region.
Other areas of common interest include projects under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), civil aviation and other infrastructure and development matters.
National Issues on the Agenda
The discussions are not expected to be limited to regional disputes. Several issues of national importance are also likely to be considered.
One such issue concerns the functioning of Fast Track Special Courts, particularly the need to speed up investigation and judicial proceedings in cases involving crimes against women and children, including rape cases. Education-related matters are also expected to feature in the discussions.
Andhra Pradesh’s Participation
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to attend the meeting. Officials indicated that he is expected to raise issues important to Andhra Pradesh, including matters connected with the state’s reorganisation and other pending concerns.
The Southern Zonal Council has previously discussed several issues related to the division of the former Andhra Pradesh and the implementation of provisions connected with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
