Amit Shah oversaw the signing of the Rajasthan-Haryana Yamuna Water Project agreement. The ₹34,102-crore plan will supply Rajasthan’s share of Yamuna water via a 295.5-km pipeline, implemented through a Joint SPV.
New Delhi: Rajasthan and Haryana on Monday signed a historic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the long-awaited Yamuna Water Project at Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi. The agreement was signed under the chairmanship of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The agreement formally clears the way for the Yamuna Water Project, which had remained pending for nearly three decades. It is expected to ensure a reliable supply of drinking water to the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan while also paving the way for future irrigation and other water requirements.
Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah described the agreement as an excellent example of cooperative federalism and said it would resolve a decades-old water-related issue affecting the people of both Rajasthan and Haryana. He noted that the agreement comprehensively covers financial responsibilities, cost-sharing, water allocation, water release protocols, operation and maintenance, monitoring mechanisms and dispute resolution, making it a robust framework for long-term inter-state water management.
Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil said Rajasthan had been unable to fully utilise its allocated share of Yamuna water since 1994 due to the absence of the required conveyance infrastructure. Under the new project, drinking water will be supplied to Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and other parts of Rajasthan through an underground pipeline originating from the Hathnikund Barrage. He added that once major storage projects in the Upper Yamuna Basin are completed, the project will also support irrigation and other water needs.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said the long-awaited agreement had become possible due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the support of the Union Government. He described it as a historic step towards ensuring long-term water security for Rajasthan and providing a permanent solution to the drinking water needs of the Shekhawati region.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini assured full cooperation from the Haryana Government for the successful implementation of the project, stating that ensuring access to safe drinking water for every citizen is a shared responsibility of all states.
The ₹34,102-crore project involves laying a 295.5-km underground pipeline from Hathnikund Barrage to the Hansiyawas Reservoir in Churu district. A joint Rajasthan-Haryana Yamuna Water SPV will be established for the implementation and operation of the project. Rajasthan has already submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Central Water Commission, while Haryana has granted in-principle approval for the pipeline alignment.
The event was attended by the Chief Secretaries of Rajasthan and Haryana, along with senior officials from both state governments and the Government of India.
