Sone River Water Sharing Agreement Signed Between Bihar and Jharkhand

An agreement was signed between the states of Bihar and Jharkhand on sharing of water from the Sone River, thus putting an end to the longstanding dispute between the two eastern states of India. The MoU has been signed in the presence of the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Mr. Amit Shah, who was accompanied by the Bihar Chief Minister Mr. Samrat Choudhary and the Jharkhand Chief Minister Mr. Hemant Soren.

Agreement on Sone River Water: Important Points

Amit Shah said it a big step toward solving the water dispute between states that existed for many years. As per Amit Shah, the agreement will ensure that irrigation water is available to many farmers in vast areas of Bihar and Jharkhand, along with drinking water.

In the state of Bihar, water availability will increase in regions like Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Arwal, Gaya and Patna. In the state of Jharkhand, regions like Palamu and Garhwa will receive water for irrigation and drinking.

The state governments of Bihar and Jharkhand also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

Cooperative Federalism in the Agreement

According to Shah, the agreement is an embodiment of cooperative federalism and the Prime Minister’s ‘Team Bharat’ approach, where the states can maintain their individuality while working together with others in the national setup to solve their problems.

The agreement is also reflective of the use of dialogue to solve the problem that involved water resource, farmers, rural people, and drinking water needs of the region spanning over vast geographic territories.

Four Major Agreements in 2026

The Sone River agreement has been referred to as one of the four major interstate agreements made this year through the efforts of the Inter-State Council.

On July 7, 2026, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh have come up with an agreement regarding outstanding payment for the Narmada Award and the Sardar Sarovar Project.

Previously, on June 29, Rajasthan and Haryana have signed an agreement for the Yamuna Water Project. This project includes transferring about 580 million cubic meters of water to Rajasthan using three underground pipelines.

On June 16, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan have found an agreement for the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project. For the water component of this project, the Central government will bear 90%, while the rest will be borne by the six states.