Rajasthan And Haryana Sign Historic Yamuna Water Pact To End Three-Decade Dispute, Project Worth ₹33,779 Crore
· Free Press Journal
Jaipur: Marking a historic day in terms of water availability, the governments of Rajasthan and Haryana signed an important agreement for the construction and implementation of the Yamuna Water Project on Monday. This Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) is likely to resolve three-decade-old water-related issues between both states.
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The MoA was signed by the Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Sani in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister Shri C. R. Patil in New Delhi.
On this occasion, Amit Shah said that this agreement demonstrates that even a problem persisting for three decades can be resolved easily if states move forward with the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Pipeline Supply Details
As per the MoA, approximately 580 million cubic meters (MCM) of water will be supplied from the Yamuna Canal to Rajasthan through three underground pipelines having a diameter of more than 3.6 meters. The districts of Sikar, Churu, and Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan and Bhiwani and Fatehabad areas in Haryana will get water through this project.
The ₹33,779 crore project seeks to facilitate the conveyance of Rajasthan's allocated share of Yamuna waters from the Western Yamuna Canal, enabling the state to effectively utilize the water allocated to it under the 1994 Memorandum of Understanding on the sharing of utilisable surface waters of the Upper Yamuna Basin.
Project Cost and Objective
The implementation of the Yamuna Water Project will provide long-term relief to water-stressed areas of the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. It will reduce dependence on groundwater and likely provide a new impetus to industrial and agricultural development.
Supreme Court Declines Urgent Hearing On PIL Seeking CBI Probe Into Ram Mandir Donation IrregularitiesMeanwhile, in political circles, the MoA is being considered the biggest and most ambitious achievement of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. Given the long-standing demand for water in Sikar, Churu, and Jhunjhunu in the Shekhawati region, the government is presenting this as a decision with significant public interest and electoral impact. Through this project, the BJP will seek to strengthen the politically weak Shekhawati region in its favor ahead of the Panchayat and Municipal elections.
The state government has already made financial provisions for this project in the budget. Immediately after the signing of the MoA, the land acquisition and tender process will be expedited this year.
The Yamuna Water Agreement was initiated in 1994, when Rajasthan was allocated a share of the Yamuna River's water. In 2001, a decision was made to provide water from the Hathinikund Barrage. Subsequently, serious efforts to bring water to Rajasthan via a pipeline began in 2018. Following the signing of a tripartite MoA between the Centre, Rajasthan, and Haryana on February 17, 2024, a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared. Now, with the final MoA agreed upon between the two states in 2026, the path for this ambitious project to become a reality is almost clear.