Rajasthan, Haryana Sign Yamuna Water Pact After Three-Decade Stalemate; Rs 34,102 Crore Project Cleared

Rajasthan and Haryana on Monday signed the long-awaited Yamuna Water Pact in New Delhi, ending a three-decade-long stalemate and clearing the way for the implementation of a Rs 34,102-crore water infrastructure project aimed at improving water availability in Rajasthan.

The pact was signed in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and senior officials from the Centre and both state governments.

According to an official release, the project will transport Rajasthan's allocated share of 577 million cubic metres (MCM) of Yamuna water from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana to the Hansiawas Reservoir in Churu district through a 295.5-km underground pipeline.

The project includes three pipelines, each with a diameter of 3.6 metres, an inspection motorway, artificial reservoirs and a digital water management system. Drinking water supply infrastructure will also be created for ten locations in Haryana.

Addressing the event, Sharma described the agreement as a milestone in inter-state cooperation and said it would play an important role in strengthening long-term water security in Rajasthan.

He said water security is a key pillar of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and that the Centre has promoted a governance approach focused on water conservation, efficient resource management and cooperation among states.

"The Prime Minister believes that water is not merely a natural resource but the foundation of life, development and the prosperity of future generations. This vision has guided the successful conclusion of this agreement," Sharma said.

The Chief Minister credited Union Home Minister Amit Shah for facilitating dialogue between Rajasthan and Haryana, saying his intervention helped resolve an issue that had remained pending for nearly three decades.

Sharma also acknowledged the role of Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, stating that his ministry extended the required technical and administrative support to move the project forward.

He said the agreement demonstrated how sustained coordination between the Centre and states could help resolve long-pending inter-state issues and accelerate infrastructure development.

The Rajasthan government said the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been uploaded on the Central Water Commission's e-PAMS portal, while the Haryana government has granted in-principle approval for the proposed pipeline alignment.

A Special Purpose Vehicle, the Rajasthan Haryana Yamuna Water Project-SPV (RHYW-SPV), will be set up to execute, operate and maintain the project.

Sharma expressed confidence that the project would improve drinking water availability, support irrigation, promote industrial development and strengthen the socio-economic conditions of water-scarce regions of Rajasthan, particularly the Shekhawati belt.