  Using time-distance local helioseismology flow maps within 1 Mm of the solar
photosphere, we detect inflows toward activity belts that contribute to solar
cycle scale variations in near-surface meridional flow. These inflows stretch
out as far as 30 degrees away from active region centroids. If active region
neighborhoods are excluded, the solar cycle scale variation in background
meridional flow diminishes to below 2~m~s$^{-1}$, but still shows systematic
variations in the absence of active regions between Sunspot Cycles 24 and 25.
We, therefore, propose that the near-surface meridional flow is a three
component flow made up of: a constant baseline flow profile that can be derived
from quiet Sun regions, variations due to inflows around active regions, and
solar cycle scale variation of the order of 2~m~s$^{-1}$. Torsional
oscillation, on the other hand, is found to be a global phenomenon i.e.
exclusion of active region neighborhoods does not affect its magnitude or phase
significantly. This non-variation of torsional oscillation with distance away
from active regions and the three-component breakdown of the near-surface
meridional flow serve as vital constraints for solar dynamo models and surface
flux transport simulations.
