Bihar and Jharkhand to End 25-Year Dispute with New Sone River Water Sharing Agreement

In Brief

1. Bihar and Jharkhand to sign Sone river water-sharing pact today.
2. The pact resolves the division of water allocations under the 1973 Bansagar Agreement after 25 years.
3. The agreement addresses the distribution of water originally allocated to undivided Bihar.
4. This milestone ends a long-standing water-sharing dispute between the two states.

Bihar and Jharkhand are set to formally sign a water-sharing agreement today for the Sone river. This pact settles the long-pending division of water allocations originally established under the 1973 Bansagar Agreement, signed when both states were part of undivided Bihar.

The signing marks the resolution of a dispute that has persisted for 25 years since Jharkhand was carved out as a separate state in 2000. Officials stated that the pact will clearly define water shares for each state, enabling better management and utilization of Sone river resources.

Authorities emphasized that this milestone will enhance bilateral cooperation and address critical water needs for irrigation and other purposes in both states. The agreement is expected to strengthen regional relations by ensuring equitable water distribution.