PATNA: Bihar cabinet on Tuesday cleared the decks for construction of the Indrapuri reservoir project after the state and Jharkhand reached an agreement to share water for irrigation, power plants and other purposes.
Approving the Water Resources Department’s proposal, the cabinet gave the green signal to a “draft agreement” (MoU) to be signed between Bihar and Jharkhand, Cabinet Secretariat Department Additional Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary told media persons at a post-cabinet briefing.
He said the decision was taken after the Central Water Commission approved the draft agreement.
He added that the Indrapuri Reservoir Project will further strengthen irrigation facilities across farmland in eight districts - Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Patna, Gaya Ji and Arwal.
The Ban Sagar agreement, signed in 1973, is a pact between Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for sharing the Sone river water.
As per the agreement, undivided Bihar was to get 7.75 Million Acre Feet (MAF) of water, ACS said that following the bifurcation of Bihar in the year 2000, Jharkhand demanded its share of water from the river Sone and did not give its assent to the Indrapuri reservoir project because of its demand for its share of water.
The issue, which had kept the project pending for years, was resolved at the 27th Eastern Regional Conference held on July 10, 2025, in Ranchi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the meeting, during which Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary presented Bihar’s position effectively and firmly to resolve the issue.
Following the agreement, out of the undivided state’s share of 7.75 MAF of water, Bihar will get Jharkhand will get 5.75 MAF of water, while Jharkhand will get 2.0 MAF as its share, ACS said.