Bihar-Jharkhand Son River Water Dispute Ends After 26 Years With Historic Agreement

Bihar and Jharkhand have reached a historic agreement on sharing the waters of the Son River, ending a dispute that had continued for 26 years.

Under the settlement, Bihar will receive 5.57 million acre-feet (MAF) of water, while Jharkhand will get 2 MAF from the total allocation of 7.75 MAF.

The consensus was reached during a meeting in New Delhi chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil attended the meeting.

CM Samrat Choudhary described the resolution as a historic achievement in Bihar’s interest. He said the agreement would increase water availability for irrigation, benefit farmers, strengthen agriculture and provide fresh momentum to development in Bihar.

Bihar CM noted that Jharkhand would benefit from the arrangement and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

Dispute Background

The dispute dates back to 1973, when an agreement under the Bansagar Project allocated 7.75 MAF of water to undivided Bihar, along with Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

After Jharkhand separated from Bihar in 2000, the new state sought a share of the Son River’s water, citing the river’s source and catchment area.

Bihar, however, maintained its claim to the entire allocation, resulting in a prolonged standoff.

The disagreement stalled Bihar’s proposed Indrapuri Reservoir Project, as Jharkhand withheld its No Objection Certificate (NOC) amid the dispute.

With the new agreement, both states now have defined shares, paving the way for renewed progress on water-management and irrigation projects.

The new agreement will significantly benefit Bihar’s agriculture, particularly in areas that depend on Son River irrigation.

For Jharkhand, the settlement provides clarity on its water entitlement.

The agreement marks a breakthrough in the long-running dispute and will likely strengthen cooperation between the neighbouring states on resource management.

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