Punjab Chief Minister Demands Massive Water Dues Payment from Rajasthan
In a significant escalation of interstate water disputes, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued a stern demand to the Rajasthan government, calling for immediate payment of outstanding water dues amounting to a staggering Rs 1.44 lakh crore. The demand, made on Wednesday, centers on water drawn by Rajasthan from Punjab since 1960 under historical agreements that Mann argues have been violated.
Historical Agreements and Alleged Breaches
Chief Minister Mann highlighted what he termed a "contradiction" in Rajasthan's position regarding water usage and payment. "Even today, Rajasthan continues to draw water under the 1920 agreement, but when it comes to paying dues, it takes shelter under the 1960 arrangement," Mann stated. He explained that the 1920 agreement between the state of Bikaner, the erstwhile Punjab province, and British authorities required Rajasthan to pay for water on a per-acre basis.
According to Mann, payments were made regularly until 1960. However, following the implementation of the Indus Water Treaty, Rajasthan ceased all payments despite continuing to draw approximately 18,000 cusecs of water annually through the Ferozepur Feeder canal. "Rajasthan government owes Rs 1.44 lakh crore to Punjab for water drawn since 1960, for which not even a single penny has been paid," the Chief Minister asserted.
Legal Standing and Demands for Resolution
Mann revealed that the Punjab government has consulted with the state's Advocate General, who provided an opinion that the 1920 agreement has not been terminated and remains legally valid. This forms the basis of Punjab's claim for the substantial dues.
The Chief Minister presented Rajasthan with a clear ultimatum: "Either Rajasthan pays royalty under the 1920 treaty or the payment clause is added to the Indus Water Treaty." He further warned that if Rajasthan refuses to settle its "rightful dues," it should immediately stop drawing water from Punjab's resources.
Mann also criticized what he called "past inaction" by previous governments, noting that the 1960 agreement mandated a review every 25 years, but Punjab's claims were never properly pursued during these review periods.
Escalation to National Forums
The Punjab Chief Minister made it clear that his government intends to pursue this matter aggressively at the national level. "Ah gall hun vadhugi (This issue will now escalate). We will raise our demand at the highest level," Mann declared. He added, "We will raise this issue strongly at all appropriate forums and ensure Punjab gets what is rightfully its own. We will leave no stone unturned to recover this money."
Mann pointed out that the central government has previously intervened in water disputes such as the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, and he expects similar intervention in this case. The Punjab government has already raised the matter with both the central government and Rajasthan authorities, and has formally requested a meeting with Rajasthan officials to discuss the outstanding dues.
Separate Announcement on Women's Allowance Verification
In a separate development, Chief Minister Mann addressed concerns regarding the recently announced Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojna, a near-universal cash transfer scheme with an outlay of Rs 9,300 crore in the 2026-27 state budget. The scheme provides Rs 1,000 monthly to women and Rs 1,500 to women from Scheduled Caste communities.
Mann revealed that the government is considering changes to the Aadhaar-linked bank account requirement after numerous cases emerged where women's fingerprints failed to match due to erosion from years of hard labor and household chores. "In many cases, Aadhaar IDs were made 15 years ago. Fingerprints of poor women have eroded due to household chores," he explained.
The Punjab government has called a meeting with banks to explore alternative verification methods, potentially including retina scans or using existing bank accounts. "We don't want any beneficiary to be left out," Mann emphasized, demonstrating the administration's commitment to ensuring the scheme reaches all intended recipients without technological barriers.
