28th Meeting of the Western Zonal Council
Goa, September 2026: Maharashtra ranks first in the country with 33,872 startups, while Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, is rapidly emerging as a major global centre for capital, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said on Monday.
He was speaking at the 28th meeting of the Western Zonal Council, held in Goa in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The meeting was organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Amit Shah Applauds Maharashtra’s Economic Strength
Highlighting Maharashtra’s economic and industrial development, Union Minister Amit Shah particularly emphasised the state’s thriving startup ecosystem and Mumbai’s growing global stature.
He also noted that Maharashtra has made significant progress by completing 98 per cent of the computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in the state.
India Records 7.8% Growth in First Quarter
Shah said India recorded a 7.8 per cent growth rate in the first quarter of the current financial year 2026-27. Achieving this rate amid global economic uncertainties is a matter of pride for the entire country, he said.
The Western region is extremely important to India from several perspectives and constitutes the country’s largest economic, industrial and financial hub, Shah added.
12 Years of Cooperative Federalism
Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked over the past 12 years to translate the constitutional concept of cooperative federalism into practice.
Pointing to the significant increase in meetings of the Zonal Councils since 2014, Shah said that between 2004 and 2014, a total of 25 meetings of the Zonal Councils and their Standing Committees were held. Since 2014, the number has increased to 71 meetings.
He described the nearly three-fold increase as an excellent example of Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Team India’ approach. A total of 1,893 issues have been discussed in these meetings, of which 1,445 have been resolved, he said.
Focus on Cybercrime and Coastal Security
Shah stressed the need to connect all Urban Cooperative Banks with the FCFRS system and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to effectively combat cybercrime.
He also said the Union Home Ministry would undertake special efforts in the coming period to further strengthen coastal security.
Wide Range of Issues Discussed
The meeting included detailed discussions on ensuring the effective functioning of special fast-track courts for speedy investigation and trials of cases involving atrocities against women and children.
Other issues discussed included the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), food safety standards, the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, ensuring banking facilities within the designated radius of every village, railway development projects and matters related to environmental clearances.
Discussions also covered urban development planning, power supply-related issues, strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), eliminating child malnutrition through the Poshan Abhiyaan, reducing school dropout rates, increasing the participation of public hospitals in the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and matters relating to cybercrime and digital infrastructure.
Goa Chief Minister and Vice-Chairperson of the Council Dr Pramod Sawant, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Administrator of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Praful Patel, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar, representatives of the participating states and senior officials were present at the meeting.
