JAIPUR: In a major move that’s likely to stoke Punjab-Rajasthan tensions, the Punjab government is now pressing for the recovery of long-pending water royalty payments.
The dispute revolves around royalty charges for water supplied to Rajasthan, which Punjab claims have remained unpaid for decades. While the issue implies that Rajasthan could soon face a huge crisis, the Bhajan Lal Sharma government is yet to respond to the brewing row.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has stated that his government plans to recover Rs 1.44 lakh crore as unpaid water royalty dues from Rajasthan. The amount is being claimed as arrears for water supplied since 1960, for which, Punjab says, no payment has been made.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mann said Rajasthan had been paying royalties for water usage until 1960 but stopped payments thereafter, even though the supply continued. He warned that Rajasthan must either clear the outstanding dues or consider halting its water drawal.
The Punjab Chief Minister also called for a reassessment of the historical agreement governing water sharing, originally signed in 1920. Providing details, Mann said the claim pertains to water supplied through the Ferozepur Feeder. He referred to a 1920 tripartite agreement involving the British administration, the princely state of Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan), and the then ruler of Bikaner, under which Rajasthan was required to pay for the water it received.
According to Mann, Rajasthan continues to draw nearly 18,000 cusecs of water via the Rajasthan Feeder. However, he alleged that payments ceased after the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty. x`CM Mann argued that while Rajasthan still benefits from the provisions of the 1920 agreement, it cites the 1960 treaty when questions of payment arise. Mann added that the 1960 arrangement did not explicitly address the issue of royalties, nor did it formally nullify the earlier agreement.
Highlighting procedural lapses, Mann pointed out that the 1920 agreement required periodic reviews every 25 years, but successive governments failed to revisit the terms or push Punjab’s claim.
“If calculated from 1960 to 2026, the total dues stand at Rs 1.44 lakh crore,” he said, adding that Punjab has formally written to the Rajasthan government to begin talks on the matter.
Mann further indicated that Punjab may approach the Central Government if needed, asserting that his administration would pursue all available avenues to secure what it considers its rightful dues. He said the state government has raised this issue with both the Centre and the BJP-ruled Rajasthan. “It is surprising that states demanding water through the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal remain silent on this massive pending payment. We have written to the Rajasthan government for a meeting to discuss this issue,” he said.
With CM Mann even asserting that either they stop drawing water from Punjab or they must clear the dues, all eyes are now focused on how the Rajasthan government will tackle this brewing crisis.