The 25-year dispute over the distribution of water from the Son river has ended

Patna, Aug 31 (ABN): The 25-year-old dispute between Bihar and Jharkhand over the sharing of Sone river water has finally ended. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Delhi between the two states on the sharing of Sone river water. On this historic occasion Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister Jal Shakti C. R. Patil, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary were present along with senior officials of both the states and central government. Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary specially thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the historic agreement. He said that due to the active efforts of the central government, continuous negotiations and effective mediation, a complex inter-state issue pending for years has been resolved. This is not just a water sharing agreement, but the beginning of a new chapter of cooperation, trust and joint development between Bihar and Jharkhand. The Chief Minister said that out of the total 14.25 million acre feet (MAF) of Sone river water under the Ban Sagar Agreement of 1973, 5.25 MAF was allocated to Madhya Pradesh, 1.25 MAF to Uttar Pradesh and 7.75 MAF to the then undivided state of Bihar. Water was allocated. After the creation of Jharkhand in the year 2000, a dispute arose between the two states over the distribution of 7.75 MAF water that came to United Bihar, which was pending for the last 25 years. He said that the 27th meeting of the Eastern Regional Council was held in Ranchi on July 10, 2025 under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in which an important consensus was reached to resolve the issue. A series of negotiations and technical deliberations at various levels between the two states and the Center followed, which has now resulted in the finalization of the agreement.
The Chief Minister said that under the new agreement, it has been formally agreed to allocate 5.75 MAF of water to Bihar and 2.00 MAF to Jharkhand out of the Sone river water. This agreement is expected to improve the availability of water especially in the highlands and drought-affected areas of South Bihar and Jharkhand. He said that the better availability of water will expand irrigation facilities, reduce the drinking water crisis and also give new momentum to industrial activities. It will also help ensure long-term water security of both the states.
The Chief Minister said that after the agreement, the construction of water reservoirs for better use of the water of the Son river and the proposed plan to connect the Son river with Phalgu river can also be worked on quickly. This will increase the availability of water in several areas of South Bihar, including Gayaji. He said that due to abundant water in Phalgu river, devotees coming from the country and abroad will also get convenience in Tarpan and Pinddan during the Patra Paksh Mela.
Samrat Choudhary said that the Sone river is an important southern tributary of the Ganga and its catchment area is of great importance to the agricultural and economic activities of eastern India. Therefore, this agreement will not only be limited to Bihar and Jharkhand, but will have far-reaching consequences for water management, agricultural development and regional economic development of the entire Eastern India. He said that a permanent solution to complex inter-state problems is possible only in the spirit of cooperative federalism. He expressed hope that this agreement for sharing the water of the Son river would prove to be very beneficial for the farmers, common citizens and future generations of both the states in the coming years.