Raj CM in Delhi today to attend a high-level meeting on Yamuna Water Project for Shekhawati region
Jaipur, June 23
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will participate in a high-level meeting in New Delhi on the Yamuna Water Project on Tuesday. The meeting will be attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, and senior officials from the departments concerned.
Discussions will focus on finalising the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the project and resolving key issues related to its implementation.
The Yamuna Water Project is being pursued jointly by the Governments of Rajasthan and Haryana, with support from the Central Government, to ensure a sustainable supply of drinking water to the water-scarce districts of Shekhawati.
The project is also expected to benefit the agricultural sector by improving water availability for farmers in the region.
The project stems from the Yamuna Water Agreement signed in May 1994 among Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi.
Under the agreement, Rajasthan was allocated 577 million cubic meters (MCM) of surplus Yamuna water annually during the monsoon period from July to October from the Tajewala Head, now known as the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana.
Despite the allocation, the water has not yet been supplied to Rajasthan, making the current discussions a crucial step towards implementation.
A joint Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project has already been prepared by Rajasthan and Haryana and submitted to the Central Water Commission for review.
Following approval by the Central Government, work on the project is expected to commence. The DPR outlines the infrastructure required to transport Yamuna water from the Hathnikund Barrage to water-deficient areas of Rajasthan. Under the proposed project, four underground pipelines will be laid from the Hathnikund Barrage.
Three pipelines will supply drinking water to the Shekhawati districts of Churu, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu, while the fourth will serve border areas of Haryana and Rajasthan.
The project will also facilitate drinking water supply to Haryana's Dadri, Bhiwani, and Hisar districts. Approximately 265 kilometers of pipeline infrastructure is proposed between Haryana and Churu.
While earlier estimates placed the project cost at around Rs 31,000 crore, the final expenditure will be determined after approval of the DPR. The Rajasthan Government has earmarked Rs 32,000 crore for the project in its 2026-27 state budget. Officials believe the project will play a transformative role in ensuring long-term drinking water security and supporting agricultural development across the Shekhawati region.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see cooperation between Rajasthan and Haryana on water issues. But why did it take 30 years since the 1994 agreement to actually start implementation? Our bureaucracy moves at snail's pace. Hope this time they execute it properly without delays.
4 underground pipelines from Hathnikund Barrage - that's an ambitious infrastructure project! 265 km pipeline network is no joke. I just hope the environmental impact assessment has been done properly. We don't want another river diversion disaster like some other projects.
This will be a game-changer for Churu, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu. My village in Jhunjhunu has been dependent on tanker water for years. But the cost - 32,000 crore - seems steep for just drinking water supply. Need to see the full breakdown. Hope transparency is maintained in tenders.
Interesting to see infrastructure development in Rajasthan's water-scarce regions. The monsoon-only allocation (July-October) makes sense given Yamuna's seasonal flow. But will 577 MCM be enough for both drinking and agriculture? Need better demand-supply analysis before finalizing.
Finally some good news for Shekhawati! But I'm worried about the maintenance aspect. Many irrigation projects in Rajasthan have become white elephants after completion. Hope the state government has a proper O&M plan in place. Also, what about water pricing for farmers? That needs clarity.
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