Bihar-Jharkhand Son River Water Dispute Resolved After 26 Years; Allocation Finalized

Patna, Bihar: A long-standing water dispute between Bihar and Jharkhand over the Son River has finally been resolved after 26 years. Both states have reached a conceptual agreement on the formula for water allocation, and a formal MoU at the Chief Secretary level is expected to be signed soon. The Bihar government has already informed the Centre about the development.

The dispute dates back to the year 2000, following the bifurcation of Bihar and the creation of Jharkhand. While the first major agreement on the Son River—known as the Vansagar Agreement—was signed in 1973 between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (as Jharkhand was then part of Bihar), the new state of Jharkhand began demanding its share of the river water post-bifurcation, triggering the prolonged dispute.

Under the new arrangement, the total water of the Son River, estimated at 7.75 million acre-feet (MAF), will be divided between the two states. Bihar will receive 5.00 MAF, while Jharkhand’s share will be 2.75 MAF. The agreement was reached after intervention by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Eastern Regional Council meeting, with Jharkhand adopting a positive stance.

This historic resolution comes after decades of political and technical delays. The DPR for the Son River project had been submitted 36 years ago, but the matter remained unresolved until now. The agreement marks a significant step forward in cooperative water management between the two states, ensuring fair and equitable distribution of the river’s resources.