Why in News?
The Yamuna Water Project is prominently in the news because the state governments of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini signed a historic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in New Delhi on June 29, 2026.
Project Infrastructure & Cost
- Financial Scale: The mega-infrastructure project is valued at ₹34,102 crore.
- Pipeline System: Instead of open canals, the water will be transported via a 295.5-km long underground pipeline network to prevent open-channel evaporation and transit losses.
- Pipeline Blueprint: The network will consist of three massive underground pipelines, each measuring more than 3.6 metres in diameter.
- Route Layout: Around 95% of the pipeline network will pass through Haryana to reach the borders of Rajasthan.
Water Allocation & Distribution
- Source Hub: The surplus water will be drawn from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana via the Western Yamuna Canal system.
- Volume Transferred: The project will supply approximately 580 million Cubic Meters (MCM) (equivalent to nearly 1,917 cusecs) of Yamuna water.
- Seasonal Supply: Water transfer will take place exclusively during the monsoon months, from July to October each year.
Beneficiary Regions
- Rajasthan Benefits: The project serves as a permanent drinking water solution for the highly water-stressed and drought-prone Shekhawati region, specifically targeting the Churu, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu districts.
- Haryana Benefits: The structural upgrades and integrated water management protocols will also boost drinking water availability in Haryana’s Bhiwani and Fatehabad regions.
Institutional Framework & Long-term Goals
- Rooted in 1994 Accord: The initiative fulfills the original 1994 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Yamuna basin states (consisting of UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, HP, and Delhi).
- Comprehensive Pact: As per the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the MoA establishes strict terms for cost-sharing, financial liabilities, daily water release protocols, joint monitoring, and a dispute-resolution mechanism to avoid future friction.
- Groundwater Recharging: In addition to supplying drinking water, the diverted rainwater will be stored in localized large ponds to artificially recharge depleting groundwater levels in the region.
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