The tussle that has been going on for decades over the Narmada water dispute has finally ended. A historic agreement has been reached in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, which has completely resolved the dispute over pending payments between Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Ministers of these four states signed this agreement in an important meeting held in New Delhi on July 7, ending the years-old disputes related to the Sardar Sarovar Project.
What is the historical agreement?
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil was also specially present in this meeting. Under this agreement, disputes related to cost sharing of construction of Sardar Sarovar Project have been resolved through ‘one-time settlement’. This is being considered a major milestone in resolving the long pending issue of payments. This agreement will not only end financial disputes between states, but will also set a new example of cooperative federalism for the future.
Complex issues are being solved under the leadership of PM Modi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah attributed this success to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that the major advantage of having a ‘double engine’ government in the states is that political differences have reduced and the ability to understand each other among the states has increased. Shah said that in the recent past, be it the Haryana-Rajasthan water dispute or the Kishau Dam project, many such complicated matters have been resolved rapidly. He said that water ultimately serves the farmers of the country, hence it is very important to prevent national loss due to such disputes.
‘Our welfare lies in the prosperity of the neighboring state’
Minister Shah emphasized that states should show constructive cooperation in matters like water distribution. He said that if a neighboring state becomes prosperous, it has a positive impact on its own state also. Particularly with reference to Rajasthan, he said that even though Narmada water has reached there in less quantity, the fate of the farmers and the value of the land has completely changed where the land has received this water. With this agreement, all four states have proved that an amicable solution to any major issue can be found through dialogue.
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