Ranchi, July 10 (Reporter) The 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah commenced in Ranchi today. The formal inauguration of the meeting saw Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren welcoming the Home Minister with a bouquet and memento. The meeting is being attended by senior representatives from four eastern states. From Jharkhand, CM Hemant Soren, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, Revenue Minister Deepak Birua, Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Principal Secretary (Home) Vandana Dadel, and DGP Anurag Gupta are present, along with a total of 68 state representatives. Bihar is represented by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Minister Vijay Choudhary. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CM Parvati Parida, and Minister Mukesh Mahaling are also in attendance. West Bengal has sent its Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. The Council is expected to deliberate on 20 agenda items, including inter-state matters and regional development. Key issues raised by Jharkhand include a demand for clearance of the state’s pending dues amounting to Rs 1.36 lakh crore from the Centre, reinstatement of special central assistance to Naxal-affected districts, and a special package to address backwardness and malnutrition in the state. The meeting will also review the action taken report from the previous session held on December 10, 2023. Discussions are also scheduled on the division of assets and liabilities of the Bihar State Construction Corporation Limited between Bihar and Jharkhand. The Eastern Zonal Council provides a platform for states and the Centre to coordinate on shared administrative, economic, and developmental challenges...////...