INTERSTATE COUNCIL
- Article 263 of the Constitution envisages establishment of an institutional mechanism to facilitate coordination of policies and their implementation between the Union and the State Governments.
- In pursuance of the recommendation made by the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations, the Inter—State Council was set up in the year 1990 through a Presidential Order.
- The standing committee and the Inter-State Council had held so far 10 meetings each and taken a view on all the recommendations made by the Sarkaria Commission.
- The Inter-State Council is a recommendatory body and it investigates and discusses such subjects, in which some or all of the States or the Union and one or more of the States have a common interest, for better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject.
- It also deliberates upon such other matters of general interests to the States as may be referred by the Chairman to the Council.
- Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Council. Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories having Legislative Assemblies, Administrators of Union Territories not having Legislative Assemblies, Governors of States under Presidents rule and six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers, nominated by the Chairman of the Council, are members of the Council.
- Five Ministers of Cabinet rank nominated by the Chairman of the Council is permanent invitees to the Council.
- The Inter—State Council has recently been reconstituted. The meetings of the Council are held in camera, and all questions for consideration of the Council in a meeting are decided by consensus, and the decision of the Chairman as to the consensus is final.
- The Council has not been assigned the duty envisaged in clause (a) of Article 263 of the Constitution namely, inquiring into and advising upon disputes, which may have arisen between States.
- The Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council was first constituted in the year 1996 for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council. Home Minister is the Chairman of the Standing Committee, and has five Union Cabinet Ministers and nine Chief Ministers as members. The Standing Committee has since been reconstituted.
- The Inter-State Council is assisted by Secretariat, which is headed by a Secretary to the Government of India.
- The Inter—State Council Secretariat closely monitors the implementation of the recommendations made by the lnter-State Council, and places the Action Taken Report before the Standing Committee/Council for consideration.
- The Inter-State Council Secretariat had entered into a Framework Agreement with the Forum of Federations, Canada in the year 2005 for an international partnership with the Forum in improving governance and enhancing democracy by promoting dialogue on the practices, principles and possibilities of federalism.
- This agreement has been renewed for the next three years—2008 to 2011 and has been approved for renewal for a further period of three years i.,e. upto 2014.
- The Inter—State Council Secretariat is also functioning as the Secretariat of the Zonal Councils and the work handled in the Zonal Council Secretariat has been transferred to the Inter State Council Secretariat from 1st April, 2011.
