Four States Sign Pact to Settle Decades-Old Narmada Water Dues

Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan signed an agreement on Tuesday to settle outstanding dues related to the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) Award projects. The signing took place in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil.

The agreement was signed by Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Bhupendra Patel (Gujarat), Bhajan Lal Sharma (Rajasthan), and Dr. Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh), along with senior officials from the central and state governments.

The NWDT was constituted by the central government in 1969 and delivered its award in 1979. The award specified the quantum of water each state could utilise and determined their shares of net power produced at the Navagam Canal Head and River Bed Power Houses. While most issues were resolved following the award, several financial disputes remained pending, including cost-sharing of the Sardar Sarovar Project and Indira Sagar Project, resettlement and rehabilitation expenditure, compensation for submerged land, and interest burden on borrowings during construction. Tuesday's agreement resolves all these longstanding issues.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah described the agreement as historic, noting that it would pave the way for smoother inter-state cooperation on water resources. The settlement is expected to benefit the four states by clarifying financial obligations and facilitating future development projects along the Narmada river.