New Delhi, June 29: Rajasthan and Haryana on Monday signed the long-awaited Yamuna Water Agreement in New Delhi, ending a three-decade-long deadlock and paving the way for the implementation of a Rs 34,102 crore water infrastructure project aimed at redefining the water landscape of Rajasthan.
The agreement 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.
Addressing the event, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said water security remains a key pillar of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and described the agreement as a landmark achievement made possible through inter-state cooperation.
"Water security is a core pillar of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. Under his leadership, a new governance culture prioritising water conservation, resource management and inter-state cooperation has flourished across the country," Sharma said.
Calling the agreement historic, Sharma said, "The Prime Minister firmly believes that water is not merely a natural resource, but the very foundation of life, development and the prosperity of future generations. This conviction has been the driving force behind this historic accord."
The Chief Minister thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for facilitating dialogue between the two states and helping resolve the decades-old issue.
"Amit Shah acted as a bridge of trust, dialogue and coordination between Rajasthan and Haryana. His personal intervention and continuous efforts at every stage were instrumental in resolving this long-pending issue," Sharma said.
He also appreciated Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil for ensuring the necessary technical and administrative clearances for the project.
The Rajasthan CM further said the agreement demonstrates how political will and Centre-State cooperation can help execute projects that had remained pending for decades.
According to a 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-kilometre underground pipeline network.
The project will comprise three pipelines, each measuring 3.6 metres in diameter, along with an inspection motorway, artificial reservoirs and a modern digital water management system. The project also includes provisions to supply drinking water to ten locations in Haryana.
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 dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle, the Rajasthan Haryana Yamuna Water Project-SPV (RHYW-SPV), will be established to oversee the execution, operation and maintenance of the project.
Bhajanlal Sharma expressed confidence that the project would ensure long-term water security, while boosting agriculture, industrial growth and socio-economic development, particularly in Rajasthan's water-stressed regions, including the Shekhawati belt. (ANI)
