Bihar and Jharkhand sign Sone water sharing agreement

A memorandum of understanding was signed between Bihar and Jharkhand on sharing of Sone river water in Delhi on Monday (31 August 2026) in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren hold copies of the MoU. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Bihar and Jharkhand on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sharing water of the Sone river. The agreement was signed in Delhi in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Union Minister Jal Shakti CR Patil.

Mr. Choudhary informed that a formal consensus has been reached to allocate 5.75 million acre feet (MAF) of river water for Bihar and 2 MAF for Jharkhand. The two states were in dispute over the sharing of 7.75 MAF of water allocated for the then undivided Bihar under the 1973 agreement.

Mr Shah said the deal resolved a long-standing water dispute in eastern India. He said it would provide irrigation water for thousands of farmers in rural Bihar and Jharkhand and drinking water for a large population.

He also said the agreement was an “excellent” example of the “Team Bharat” vision and cooperative federalism championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Fourth Interstate Pact This Year”

He said that while all states have their own distinct identity, if they move forward as ‘Team Bharat’ in the national context, there is no problem that cannot be solved. He added that this is the fourth water agreement between the states this year, which would improve the availability of water for irrigation, rural development and drinking purposes.

“The agreement reached today to resolve the nearly 25-year-old water dispute between Bihar and Jharkhand is an example that any issue can be resolved through dialogue conducted in the spirit of cooperative federalism. Issues affecting vast geographical areas, farmers, rural areas and drinking water supply in both states have been permanently resolved today,” Shah said.

He emphasized that the agreement would ensure availability of sufficient water for drinking and irrigation to a large population in Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Arwal, Gaya and Patna districts of Bihar and Palam, Garhwa and other regions of Jharkhand.

Both Mr. Choudhary and Mr. Soren expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for resolving the Sone river water sharing issue.

the 1973 agreement

Mr. Choudhary said that under the Bansagar Agreement of 1973, out of the total 14.25 MAF of water in the Sone river, 5.25 MAF was allocated to Madhya Pradesh, 1.25 MAF to Uttar Pradesh and 7.75 MAF to the then undivided Bihar. After Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000, a dispute arose between the two states over the sharing of 7.75 MAF of water, which has remained unresolved for the past 25 years.

“This (agreement) will improve water availability, especially in the plateau and drought-prone areas of southern Bihar and Jharkhand. It will lead to expansion of irrigation facilities, alleviate drinking water scarcity and give a new impetus to industrial development. Moreover, it will ensure long-term water security for both states,” Choudhary said.

He claimed that after the agreement, work on proposed projects like construction of reservoirs and linking of Sone river with Falgu river – to optimize the use of Sone water, thereby increasing water availability in several areas of South Bihar, including Gaya-ji, can be expedited.

Mr. Choudhary explained that sufficient water in the Falgu river will also facilitate the Tarpan and Pind-daan rituals for pilgrims from across the country and abroad during the Pitru Paksha fair.

Published – 31 Aug 2026 22:26 IST