Rajasthan and Haryana Sign Major Agreement for Yamuna Water Project

Rajasthan and Haryana signed a significant agreement in New Delhi on June 29, 2026, for the construction and implementation of the Yamuna Water Project. Finally settling a water dispute that had dragged on for nearly three decades. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was present for the occasion, alongside Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, and Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, with senior officials from both the Centre and the two states also in attendance.

Rajasthan-Haryana Agreement

Amit Shah called the deal a textbook example of PM Modi's "Solution through Dialogue" approach, noting it proves cooperative federalism can untangle even decades-old disputes when states sit down and talk. He credited Patil's leadership for getting things resolved in just a matter of days. The agreement carefully explains how water gets allocated, release protocols, and maintenance responsibilities, plus it builds in monitoring systems and a dispute-resolution mechanism so the framework holds up for years to come.

How will Yamuna water be shared?

Under the deal, roughly 580 million cubic meters of water will flow from the Yamuna Canal to Rajasthan via three underground pipelines, each over 3.6 meters wide, between July and October. Once operational, the pipelines will deliver drinking water to Sikar, Churu, and Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, as well as Bhiwani and Fatehabad in Haryana. Water that once went unused will now be channeled into large ponds, helping recharge groundwater levels too.

1994 Upper Yamuna Water Agreement

This project draws on Rajasthan's share of Yamuna waters as fixed under the 1994 MoU on sharing the Upper Yamuna Basin's surface waters, conveyed through an underground pipeline system from the Western Yamuna Canal, finally letting Rajasthan tap into water it was long entitled to but couldn't fully access.