2 min readChandigarhMar 19, 2026 04:33 AM IST
The Rajasthan government must clear Rs 1.44 lakh crore in “unpaid” water usage since 1960, or stop drawing water from Gang Canal in
Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday said as he called for a review of a Britsh-era agreement on sharing water.
“Under the 1920 agreement, 18,000 cusecs of Punjab’s water was supplied to Rajasthan continuously till 1960. However, after the Indus Waters Treaty, there was no mention of this arrangement. If we calculate dues from 1960 to 2026, Rajasthan owes Punjab Rs 1.44 lakh crore,” Mann said.
“We will ask Rajasthan to either pay our dues or stop drawing water. We have already raised the issue with both the Union government and the Rajasthan government. We have also written to the Rajasthan government seeking a meeting to discuss the issue,” said Mann.
The Punjab CM told reporters that Rajasthan has not paid “a single penny” for the water drawn through the Ferozepur Feeder since 1960.
Mann called for a review of the 1920 tripartite agreement involving the British government, the state of Bahawalpur (now in Pakistan), and the then Maharaja of Bikaner.
The agreement stipulated that Rajasthan pay a fee for the water taken from Punjab, which it did till 1960.
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“But after the Indus Water Treaty, Rajasthan stopped paying despite continuously drawing 18,000 cusecs of water. Even today, Rajasthan continues to draw water under the 1920 agreement, but when it comes to paying dues, it takes shelter under the 1960 arrangement. The governments at that time, while entering into the new arrangement in 1960, did not mention payment, but they also never cancelled the 1920 agreement,” Mann said.
The Chief Minister said that the agreement mandated a review every 25 years, but previous governments never raised this issue or pursued Punjab’s rightful claim.
“The 1920 agreement has not been terminated yet. We will demand royalty (from Rajasthan),” Mann said, adding that Punjab will also involve the Centre in the matter.
“We will raise this issue strongly at all appropriate forums and ensure that Punjab gets what is rightfully its own. We will leave no stone unturned to recover this money,” he added.
