CM Bhajan Lal Sharma will review the progress of Yamuna water ahead of the second joint meeting of the task force of Haryana and Rajasthan at Pilani in Jhunjhunu district on April 21.Senior officials of the Haryana Government were also present in the meeting.The second joint meeting of the Task Force of both the States is proposed to be held on 25th April at Hisar.
It may be recalled that in 1994, under the Yamuna Water Agreement between Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and New Delhi, 1917 cusecs (577 M.S.C.M. per annum) of water was allocated to Rajasthan during the monsoon period (July to October) at Tajewala Head (Hathnikund Barrage).But there was a stalemate for 30 years to bring the allocated water to Rajasthan.As a result of the untiring efforts of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, the positive cooperation of the Central Government and the intervention of the Central Water Commission in fulfilling the age-old demand of Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu districts, this impasse was resolved and an agreement was reached on February 17, 2024 in the presence of the Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Haryana and the Union Minister of Jal Shakti.
Under the agreement, it was agreed to jointly prepare a DPR of the flow system for bringing water to Rajasthan for drinking purposes from Tajewala Head (Hathnikund Barrage) in the first phase. A task force was set up by the Rajasthan and Haryana governments to prepare a DPR for the implementation of the agreement. A meeting regarding preparation of Joint DPR was held between Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department, Rajasthan and Haryana on 26.03.2025 at Chandigarh. After this, the first joint meeting of the task force of Haryana and Rajasthan was held in Yamunanagar (Haryana) on April 7, in which a preliminary discussion was held on the actual ground test in the order of alignment.
Under this scheme, water is proposed to be brought from Hathnikund Barrage to Hansiyawas reservoir in Churu district through three underground pipelines. The MoU for Renukaji and Lakhwar Storage Projects in the Upper Yamuna Basin (upstream of Hathnikund Barrage) has been signed, pursuant to which Rajasthan has paid its share of Rs. 77.90 crore to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Kishau’s MoU is yet to be signed. After completion of these projects, 201 MCM of Rajasthan’s share of water at Hathnikund Barrage will be available to Rajasthan through these pipelines till the post-monsoon year.
To ensure effective monitoring and speedy implementation of the scheme, the state government is serious and in this regard, a new post of Additional Chief Engineer, Yamuna Water has been created by the Water Resources Department. With the efforts of the state government, the process of bringing Yamuna water to the Shekhawati region will start soon.