Context:

Recently, the Union government reconstituted the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council.

More on the News:

• The Union Home Minister is the chairperson of the newly constituted standing committee of the Inter-State Council. 
• The committee also includes 12 other members, comprising senior Union ministers and chief ministers from seven states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

About the Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council (ISC):

It will:

• have continuous consultation and process matters for consideration of the Council;
• process all matters pertaining to Centre-State Relations before they are taken up for consideration in the Inter-State Council;
• monitor the implementation of decisions based on the recommendations of the Council and
• consider any other matter referred to by the Chairman / Council.

It may, if necessary, invite experts and persons eminent in specific fields to have the benefit of their views while deliberating upon the related subjects.

The Standing Committee has been reconstituted from time to time with the approval of the Chairman of the Inter-State Council.

Previously, the ISC was set up in 1996 for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council. The Council is assisted by a secretariat called as Inter-State Secretariat.

Inter-State Council (ISC)

• Genesis: As per the Constitution of India, Article 263 provides for the establishment of an Inter-State Council.
• It is a non-permanent constitutional body just like the finance commission.
• The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations (1983-87) also recommended the establishment of a permanent Inter-state Council under Article 263 of the Constitution.

• Prime Minister – Chairman
• Chief Ministers of all States – Members
• Chief Ministers of Union Territories having a Legislative Assembly and Administrators of UTs not having a Legislative Assembly – Members

• Six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers to be nominated by the Prime Minister – Members.

The Council may meet at least thrice a year.

Function of ISC

• The council is a recommendatory body that deals with the issues relating to inter-state, Centre-state and Centre-union territories relations. 
• It also investigates and discusses such subjects in which the states or the centre have a common interest.
• It makes recommendations upon any such subject for the better coordination of policy and action on it.