Bihar & Jharkhand reach agreement on Sone River water sharing, settling long-standing dispute

By  News On Air   Aug 31, 2026

An MoU was signed between Bihar and Jharkhand on the sharing of Sone River water in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi today. The agreement was signed in the presence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, and Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, among others. Speaking on the occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the agreement between Bihar and Jharkhand has resolved a long-awaited water dispute in eastern India. He said that the agreement will provide irrigation water to lakhs of farmers in large rural areas of Bihar and Jharkhand, along with drinking water for the people.

Mr Shah stated that the agreement reached today regarding the sharing of the Sone River’s waters is an excellent example of the ‘Team Bharat’ vision and cooperative federalism championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said that this marks the fourth water agreement between states this year, which will enhance water availability for irrigation, rural development, and drinking purposes.

The Home Minister emphasized that the agreement reached today to resolve the nearly 25-year-old water dispute between Bihar and Jharkhand exemplifies that any problem can be solved through dialogue conducted with the spirit of cooperative federalism. He said that issues concerning vast geographical areas, farmers, rural regions, and drinking water supplies in both states have been permanently resolved today.

Mr Shah underlined that the agreement would ensure the availability of adequate water for drinking and irrigation to a large population across the districts of Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Arwal, Gaya, and Patna in Bihar. Furthermore, water would become available for irrigation and drinking purposes in the Palamu, Garhwa, and other regions of Jharkhand. Chief Ministers of both the states expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for resolving the issue of Sone River water sharing.