Bihar, Jharkhand end 25-year water dispute with Sone River pact

Bihar and Jharkhand have formally resolved their nearly quarter-century dispute over the Sone River by signing a memorandum of understanding on water-sharing arrangements. Under the agreement, the two states will divide 7.75 million acre-feet of water from the river, with officials describing the pact as a "permanent resolution" to the contentious issue.

The signing ceremony, held on Monday, was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil, and senior officials from both the central government and the two states. Shah described the agreement as a watershed moment for regional cooperation, noting that adequate irrigation and drinking water supplies would now be assured for large populations in both states.

Official statements indicated that the accord would directly benefit lakhs of farmers across Bihar and Jharkhand while providing fresh momentum to rural development initiatives. Shah emphasised that the successful resolution demonstrated how interstate challenges could be overcome through collective effort and collaborative governance, signalling the importance of states functioning as a unified entity to address common resource challenges.