Water crisis is a big problem in Rajasthan. There is a huge difference in the total area of the state and the availability of water. The rainfall here is also less compared to other states. Due to this, the ground water level is also falling drastically. Meanwhile, Rajasthan government signed the first MoU of Yamuna water agreement within 10 days. Then the MoU has been signed to settle the Narmada Award payment dispute. About 1.20 crore population of Rajasthan will benefit from both the agreements. That means, within just 10 days, the Rajasthan government has made arrangements for water for 1.20 crore people.
On the initiative of the Central Government, the Narmada payment dispute that has been going on for 47 years between Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra has finally been resolved on July 7. With this agreement, the financial uncertainty that had been going on between these 4 states for 5 decades has also ended. After MPKC i.e. Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project and Yamuna Water Agreement, the resolution of Narmada Award payment dispute is being considered a big achievement for Rajasthan.
After resolving the Narmada Award payment dispute, now the water stressed areas of Western Rajasthan are going to get the biggest benefit through the Narmada Valley Project. Apart from Jalore, Barmer, water will be supplied to some areas of Pali and Sirohi through this project. This will end the drinking water crisis for the people here and will also solve the problem of irrigation of crops for the farmers.
Also know these facts related to both water agreements
- Rajasthan made water arrangements for 1.20 crore people by signing two agreements in just 10 days.
- Western Rajasthan will benefit from Narmada Project and Shekhawati region will benefit from Yamuna Water Agreement.
- There is scope for improvement in the agricultural economy of these areas due to the end of the irrigation problem.
- Ground water level in these areas will improve
How much population of Rajasthan will get the benefit of resolving the Narmada dispute?
According to 2011 census, the total population of Barmer district is 26,03,751. At the same time, the total population of Jalore district is 18,28,730. In such a situation, approximately 45 lakh population of both the districts will get the benefit of this Narmada Valley Project, and some areas of Pali and Sirohi are also going to get benefit from it. If we assume the estimated population of these areas to be 6 to 8 lakh, then a total population of 50 to 53 lakh is going to benefit from this project.
What was the Narmada Award controversy and for how long was it going on?
This dispute started after the award of Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal in the year 1979. At that time, the tribunal had decided the distribution of Narmada river water among Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra under the ‘Narmada Valley Project’. During this period, the share of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat in the construction cost, land acquisition, rehabilitation and other expenses of the Mardar Sarovar Project was decided. But with time the dispute deepened among the four states regarding the increasing cost of the project and payments.
What did the four states get by resolving the Narmada dispute?
For 47 years, all four states kept making claims worth thousands of crores of rupees against each other. Due to this the dispute deepened further. But now on the initiative of the Central Government, an MOU has been signed by the four states regarding the pending payment and construction cost. Under this, Gujarat will get Rs 1650 crore from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. All three states will pay Rs 550-550 crore to Gujarat. This payment will be made through one-time settlement. With the resolution of this dispute, Rajasthan will get a total of 616.74 MCM water. Whereas Maharashtra will get its share of 10 TMC water. There will be uninterrupted availability of water and electricity in Madhya Pradesh also.
Rajasthan had signed Yamuna water agreement with Haryana in the month of June.
On June 28 this year, the Yamuna Basin Water Agreement dispute that had been going on between Rajasthan and Rajasthan for 32 years was also resolved. On June 28, in the presence of Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Rajasthan and Haryana Chief Ministers Nayab Singh Saini and Bhajanlal Sharma signed the MoU on Yamuna Water Agreement. According to this agreement, Yamuna water is to be transported to Rajasthan through underground pipeline from Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana.
How much population of Rajasthan will benefit from the Yamuna water agreement?
Rajasthan will get 580 million cubic meters (MCM) of water. But this water will be provided by Haryana only between July and October. To deliver this water, it will start from Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana and will reach Hansiyawas Reservoir in Churu district of Rajasthan. The project will cost approximately Rs 3900 crore. Rajasthan and Haryana governments will jointly bear this.
- Sikar, Churu and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan will benefit from the Yamuna Water Agreement.
- Sikar district has population of 26.77 lakh, Jhunjhunu has 21.37 lakh, Churu has 20.39 lakh population.
- This water agreement will benefit the population of 68 lakhs in this area called Shekhawati region.
- Artificial reservoirs and a modern water management system will also be constructed.
- This will solve the problems of drinking water as well as irrigation of farmers.
Why did Rajasthan not get Yamuna water for 32 years?
An agreement named Yamuna Basin was made in the year 1994 between Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Under the agreement, the annually available water flow of Yamuna River was to be divided proportionately among all the states. 40.6% Yamuna water was to be given to Haryana, 35.1% to Uttar Pradesh, 10.4% to Rajasthan, 6.3% to Delhi and 1.7% to Himachal Pradesh. But due to lack of infrastructure and absence of any clear and transparent system of water sharing, Rajasthan was not able to get its share of water.
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