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Long-running inter-state water disputes dominated the Southern Zonal Council meeting held in Mahabalipuram on Thursday, August 20, with southern states presenting their concerns before Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The meeting also saw the states raise issues related to delimitation, fiscal devolution, regional development and political representation.
The Southern Zonal Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, as well as the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. It provides a platform for the Union Government, states and Union Territories to discuss issues involving common interests and inter-state disputes.
The meeting, chaired by Amit Shah, was attended by the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and representatives of the southern Union Territories.
Water disputes take centre stage
The Cauvery, Mullaperiyar, Krishna, Godavari and other river disputes figured prominently in the meeting, with Amit Shah calling for faster resolution of inter-state water conflicts through dialogue.
He said the development of southern states was closely linked to water availability, which affected agriculture, industry, public health and the environment. While acknowledging that protecting the interests of individual states was legitimate, he questioned situations where states remained deprived of water for years while the resource eventually flowed into the sea.
“We have succeeded in making water-related issues dispute-free across entire north India; we will also have to think afresh on issues of water sharing in south India,” Amit Shah said.
He called for pending disputes to be resolved through joint meetings involving the Union Ministries of Jal Shakti and Home Affairs, the Inter-State Council and the states concerned. According to the Union government, the southern states agreed to pursue the issues through mutual dialogue and constructive solutions.
Shah also advocated interlinking rivers from the Brahmaputra to the Cauvery and Godavari, saying such a network could help ensure that India faced no water shortage for the next 100 years. He said river interlinking could also create waterways, reduce fuel consumption and provide cheaper transportation.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay raised the state’s concerns over the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar disputes. He stressed the need for timely implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment and the Cauvery Tribunal award, and said the rights of lower-riparian states should be protected through established legal mechanisms.
On Mullaperiyar, Vijay reiterated Tamil Nadu’s position that the reservoir’s water level should be raised to 152 feet. Kerala, meanwhile, used the meeting to reiterate its demand for a new Mullaperiyar dam.
Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan said Kerala was willing to bear the entire cost of constructing a new dam and assured Tamil Nadu that it would receive its full share of water. Under the proposal, Tamil Nadu would determine the design, location and construction arrangements for the new structure.
Tamil Nadu has maintained that the existing Mullaperiyar dam is safe, while Kerala has raised concerns over its safety and the potential impact on people living downstream.
The Mekedatu project, another longstanding point of conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, also came up. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the proposed reservoir would benefit both states during periods of water distress.
He said Karnataka would retain 5 Thousand Million Cubic (TMC) ft of water for drinking water requirements, while the remaining would be shared with Tamil Nadu. He argued that the focus should move from water sharing to cooperation based on equity and transparency. Tamil Nadu, however, maintained its position on the Cauvery dispute.
Telangana also reiterated its position on Krishna river waters. Vikramarka said the state sought protection of its legitimate entitlements and downstream rights through established legal mechanisms.
“On Krishna waters, we seek no special privilege, but our legitimate entitlements and the protection of downstream rights through established legal frameworks,” he said.
Puducherry, which has limited surface-water resources, also sought support from the Union government and neighbouring states, particularly Tamil Nadu, to develop an integrated surface-water system and ensure reliable year-round water supply.
Southern states raise delimitation concerns
Delimitation emerged as another major concern, with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu arguing that southern states should not lose political representation because they had successfully stabilised their populations.
Shivakumar urged the council to adopt a resolution asking the Union Government to retain the 1971 Census as the basis for delimitation and maintain the Lok Sabha’s existing strength of 543 seats for the next 25 years.
He also sought the implementation of women’s reservation within the existing number of Lok Sabha seats rather than increasing the total strength of the House.
“We welcome the assurance that no southern state will lose seats, but representation is not only about numbers. It is about weight, and about voice,” Shivakumar said.
He argued that the south’s success in controlling its population should not result in a reduction in its political representation.
“I am confident that all the Chief Ministers here will support me in what I say. Let the 1971 basis be honoured, and let the strength of our voice be protected,” he said.
Tamil Nadu also expressed concern over the issue. State minister R Nirmal Kumar said the state wanted the existing freeze on 543 Lok Sabha seats nationally and 39 seats in Tamil Nadu to continue.
Vijay had also sought a legislative assurance that no state would lose its proportion of seats in Parliament because of its success in population stabilisation.
Karnataka pushes for greater fiscal devolution
Karnataka made a broader pitch for greater financial devolution to southern states, with Shivakumar describing the region as the “engine of the Indian economy” and seeking “fairness in funds, voice, and respect”.
Shivakumar said the five southern states accounted for nearly 33% of India’s GDP despite having around 20% of the country’s population. Karnataka, he said, has 5.5% of India’s population but contributes around 9% of the national GDP.
He said Karnataka accounts for 42% of India’s software exports, hosts around 1,100 Global Capability Union Governments and received more than 21% of India’s FDI equity inflows between 2019 and 2025.
“Pride demands fairness in return. We have always done our part. We contribute, we build, we grow, and we carry the nation forward. All we ask from the Union government is this: please care as much as we share,” he said.
Shivakumar pointed to Karnataka’s reduced share in the divisible pool under the 15th Finance Commission, which fell from 4.7% to 3.6%. He estimated that this had resulted in a loss of around Rs 65,000 crore to the state over six years.
He also said the special grant of Rs 5,495 crore and state-specific grants of Rs 6,000 crore recommended by the 15th Finance Commission is yet to be released.
While welcoming Karnataka’s increased share of 4.13% under the 16th Finance Commission, he said the state’s share should eventually return to 4.7%.
“Karnataka is the second largest contributor to GST and to Income Tax, and a state that performs on growth and revenue deserves to be incentivised, not penalised,” Shivakumar said.
Tamil Nadu also sought greater flexibility for states in determining GST rates and resource-raising powers.
States seek greater regional cooperation
The states also used the meeting to push for greater regional cooperation on infrastructure, connectivity and economic development.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu projected the possibility of south India becoming a $10 trillion economy by 2047 and called for stronger cooperation among the southern states.
Naidu proposed a bullet train corridor connecting Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu through Kuppam, along with a transit network linking Amaravati, Bengaluru and Chennai.
He also sought faster resolution of issues arising from the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and proposed integrated logistics and dry-port networks, improved power-grid connectivity and a consortium of universities and skilling institutions.
Naidu also proposed a mutual aid force for disaster response and an integrated heritage and spiritual tourism circuit.
Kerala, meanwhile, sought greater regional cooperation for its plans to establish the state as a port-led economy under the Mission Samudra initiative.
Satheesan highlighted Kerala’s efforts to develop Vizhinjam as a major transshipment and maritime hub and sought support for the state’s wider connectivity and infrastructure plans.
He also sought cooperation from Karnataka and the Railway Ministry to finalise the alignment and detailed project reports for the Thalassery-Mysore and Nilambur-Nanjangud railway lines.
On connectivity through forest areas, Satheesan sought coordination between Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over night traffic restrictions. Instead of blanket restrictions, he proposed scientifically determined time windows and regulated convoy movement.
Kerala raises coastal and funding concerns
Kerala also raised concerns over offshore mineral extraction and coastal erosion, seeking greater financial support from the Union Government for protecting vulnerable coastal communities.
Satheesan opposed the auction of offshore mineral blocks along Kerala’s coast until a scientific assessment and a robust standard operating procedure were put in place. He cited possible environmental and social consequences for the state’s coastal ecosystem and fishing communities.
Kerala has a coastline of around 586 km, of which nearly 63% is classified as eroding, while around 30% of the state’s population lives along the coast, Satheesan said.
He sought permission to use disaster response and mitigation funds for coastal protection and the rehabilitation of families displaced by erosion.
Satheesan also sought changes to the funding structure of centrally sponsored schemes and called for state-specific premiums under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana instead of a uniform national premium.
He sought eligibility to be aligned with the National Food Security Act database and the Union Government’s contribution to reflect the actual expenditure incurred on centrally sponsored families.
Satheesan said Kerala had borne nearly 90% of the financial burden under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the previous year, while the National Health Authority had released only Rs 151 crore to the state.
He also sought exemption or substantially reduced toll rates for state road transport undertakings, pointing out that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation had paid more than Rs 2.16 crore in tolls in June alone.
Other issues discussed
The meeting also covered policing, social welfare and law enforcement, with Shah calling for greater inter-state coordination to tackle narcotics trafficking, organised crime, illegal migration and emerging cyber threats.
Satheesan sought the appointment of senior inter-state police nodal officers, real-time intelligence sharing, prisoner information exchange and coordinated border patrolling.
Shah also called for faster investigation and trial of rape and POCSO cases through Fast Track Special Courts and urged Chief Ministers to approach such cases with sensitivity.
He highlighted school dropout rates, malnutrition and stunting, saying the national school dropout ratio was currently 9.5% and should be brought below 3%.
He said Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh had initiated efforts to tackle malnutrition that were subsequently adopted across the country, and called for coordinated action against drugs based on a three-year roadmap prepared by the Union Home Ministry.
Shah said South India was a major contributor to the country’s development, attributing its growth to high literacy, trained manpower and technical expertise. He said the region had contributed significantly to literature, research and development, space, IT, artificial intelligence, industry, agriculture, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure.
He said other parts of the country could learn from southern states in areas such as innovation and revenue generation.
According to Shah, Zonal Councils had evolved from largely formal platforms into mechanisms for resolving inter-state issues. Since 2014, he said, 70 Zonal Council meetings had been held and 1,445 of 1,869 issues discussed had been resolved.
The Southern Zonal Council meeting came amid several long standing disputes and disagreements between the southern states and the Union government. Despite differences over water, fiscal devolution, delimitation and natural resources, Shah urged the states to pursue cooperative solutions through dialogue rather than confrontation.
