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Punjab Demands ₹1.44 Lakh Crore Royalty from Rajasthan for Water Supply

Ganpat Singh Chouhan 3 min read
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Punjab Demands ₹1.44 Lakh Crore Royalty from Rajasthan for Water Supply

Jaipur, October 28: The Punjab government has once again demanded a royalty of ₹1.44 lakh crore from Rajasthan in exchange for canal water. This issue was raised by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during the last day of a special session of the Punjab Assembly, where a proposal was also presented. The Rajasthan government had previously rejected this demand in March of this year.

The proposal was introduced by Punjab’s Irrigation Minister, Barinder Kumar Goyal. He argued that the Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas rivers do not flow through Rajasthan, making it not a riparian state. Despite this, Punjab has been supplying water to Rajasthan for decades at no cost, while Punjab itself faces severe water shortages. The proposal demands that Rajasthan pay for this water and that the central government ensure annual payments to Punjab.

After the assembly session, Bhagwant Mann posted on X, emphasizing that Punjab has exclusive rights to its water resources and suggesting that a new canal, YSL, should replace the SYL canal.

Bhagwant Mann: Rajasthan Profits from Free Water

Bhagwant Mann stated in the assembly that until 1960, Rajasthan paid Punjab for water royalties. He criticized Rajasthan for now selling the free water it receives, likening it to a business model where Punjab provides raw materials for free, which are then sold as a finished product.

Rajasthan’s Response: Demand is Unconstitutional

On March 19 of this year, Mann had warned of halting water supply while making the same ₹1.44 lakh crore royalty demand. The very next day, Rajasthan’s Water Resources Minister, Suresh Singh Rawat, dismissed the claim as unconstitutional, stating that one state cannot lay a commercial claim to another’s water resources, as it contradicts the Constitution’s fundamental principles.

Two Canals Supply Punjab’s Water to Rajasthan

The water in question reaches Rajasthan primarily through two canals. The first is the Ganga Canal, which originates from the Firozpur headworks on the Sutlej River and extends to Sri Ganganagar. This canal was inaugurated on October 26, 1927. The second is the Indira Gandhi Canal, fed by Punjab’s Harike Barrage, where the Sutlej and Beas rivers converge. This feeder is approximately 204 kilometers long, with 167 kilometers in Punjab and Haryana, and 37 kilometers in Rajasthan. The main canal, extending 445 kilometers entirely within Rajasthan, supplies water to districts like Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer.

1920 Agreement: Rajasthan’s Legal Standpoint

Rajasthan’s position is based on the 1920 agreement regarding the Ganga Canal, made between the British government, Bahawalpur state, and Bikaner state. The agreement allocated water for about five lakh acres of land in Bikaner, with charges payable to the British government rather than the Punjab province.

Punjab’s assembly elections are scheduled for February next year, indicating that this royalty issue has surfaced just months before the elections. Tensions between the two states over this matter are expected to escalate.

Author Profile

Ganpat Singh Chouhan
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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