"Win-win proposition for four states": Maharashtra CM Fadnavis hails Narmada project agreement
Mumbai, July 8
As the decades-old dispute linked to the Narmada river and long-pending issues related to the river project were resolved on Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the development as a "win-win" proposition for four states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis credited Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil for the agreement to come to fruition.
"There were several ongoing disputes regarding this Narmada project--specifically involving Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Discussions were held to resolve these disputes collectively, and today, we have successfully resolved them. We feel that the Home Minister and the Jal Shakti Minister played a pivotal role in this process."
Detailing the conditions of the project, he said, "As a result, the substantial outstanding dues previously claimed against us have been waived; Maharashtra is now required to pay only Rs 27 crore, whereas earlier, claims amounting to Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 crore had been raised against us."
"Maharashtra was entitled to receive 10 TMC of water, but due to geographical and topographical constraints, that water could not be delivered. Therefore, we proposed two alternative projects: one involving the diversion of 5 TMC of water, and another where securing 5 TMC from Ukai Dam would be beneficial to us. These proposals have received in-principle approval today," he added.
CM Fadnavis hailed the announcement as an example of "cooperative federalism" under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that "four states united to formulate a win-win proposition through today's meeting."
This comes after the decades-old dispute linked to the Narmada River and long-pending issues related to the Narmada project were resolved on Tuesday with the signing of an agreement by all four concerned states--Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra-- in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah here in the national capital.
The agreement was reached on the settlement of pending payment issues among the Narmada Award beneficiary states in the presence of Shah as well as Union Minister of Jal Shakti CR Patil, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma and Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav alongwith senior officials from the Central government and all these states.
In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs said, "This agreement marks a historic milestone in resolving the long-standing disputes among the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra relating to the cost-sharing arrangements for the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Project."Under the agreement, the MHA said, the payments to be made towards the final settlement of pending dues have been resolved through a one-time settlement.
Addressing the meeting, the Home Minister said that the issue of pending payments under the Narmada Award had remained unresolved among Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for a long time, and that it has been resolved amicably today.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a win for all four states. Rajasthan and Gujarat will get their irrigation needs, MP gets its share, and Maharashtra gets significant relief. But I hope the environmental impact of the diversion projects is properly assessed. We can't afford more ecological damage in the name of development.
Great to see Amit Shah and CR Patil ji resolving decades-old disputes. The 10 TMC water allocation for Maharashtra was stuck due to geography, but now with diversion from Ukai Dam, we can actually use it. This is what good governance looks like - practical solutions, not just political talk.
As someone from a drought-prone area in Maharashtra, this gives me hope. But honestly, let's not celebrate too early. We've seen many agreements where the devil is in the details. How will the 5 TMC diversion actually work? What about the farmers displaced by these new projects? Need full transparency.
Impressive diplomatic work by all four CMs. Reducing claims from thousands of crores to just 27 crore is a huge relief for Maharashtra's budget. The cooperative federalism model seems to be working well under PM Modi's leadership. Let's hope this sets a precedent for resolving other inter-state water disputes.
Hold your horses everyone. This is the same Narmada project that has been controversial for environmental and displacement reasons. Yes, resolving financial disputes is good, but let's not forget the thousands of families that were displaced. And what about the Narmada Bachao Andolan's concerns? Water is life, but so is justice for affected communities.
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