The Tamil Nadu government has appointed two Cabinet ministers to represent the state in the Southern Zonal Council, a key inter-state coordination forum. Energy Resources and Law Minister R. Nirmalkumar and School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity Minister Rajmohan have been nominated as members of the Council. They will join Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in representing Tamil Nadu at the high-level forum.
The government has also named K. Manivasan, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Prohibition, and Excise Department, as the second Adviser to the Southern Zonal Council. This appointment expands the state’s administrative representation alongside Chief Secretary M. Saikumar. The nominations were made under the provisions of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, replacing previous appointments from 2021.
Established under the States Reorganisation Act, the Southern Zonal Council aims to enhance cooperation and coordination between the Union government and states on common interests. It convenes periodically, bringing together Chief Ministers, senior ministers, and Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana to discuss various inter-state matters.
The Council addresses a wide range of issues including infrastructure development, internal security, border management, river water disputes, transport connectivity, disaster management, social welfare, and minority welfare. It plays a crucial role in resolving policy disparities and fostering cooperative federalism among the participating states. These recent appointments mark the TVK-led coalition government’s initial representation in the Council since assuming power earlier this year.
