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CHANDIGARH; 27th October 2026:
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday drew a firm line on the state’s river waters, declaring that not a single drop of Punjab’s rightful share would be surrendered as the Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution asserting the state’s rights. Vowing to fight from courts to streets, he questioned Rajasthan’s continued access to Punjab’s water without payment, pegged the state’s outstanding royalty claim at ₹1.43 lakh crore, and asserted that Rajasthan and Haryana had no share in the waters of the Ravi and Beas.
The Chief Minister pointed out his government is strengthening the state’s own irrigation network, expanding canal water access from 22% to 80% of fields in four years and laying 14,000 km of underground pipelines.
Participating in discussions on resolutions concerning river waters and other important issues on the final day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab would no longer tolerate injustice in the distribution of its precious water resources. “Water is a state subject, and the control of headworks rests with the states. Punjab will vigorously pursue its legitimate rights and will not allow the state’s interests to be sacrificed,” he affirmed.
Questioning Haryana’s claim over Ravi-Beas waters, the Chief Minister said, “It is unfair that Haryana stakes its claim over Ravi-Beas waters while Punjab’s rightful share in Yamuna waters is ignored, despite the Yamuna being part of undivided Punjab.”
Highlighting the transformation in irrigation under his government, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that when his government assumed office in 2022, only 22% of Punjab’s water resources were being utilised, whereas the figure had now risen to nearly 80%.
He said, “We have undertaken an extensive overhaul of Punjab’s irrigation network to ensure that canal water reaches even the tail-end fields. By cleaning rajbahas, laying 14,000 kilometres of pipelines and rejuvenating canals and watercourses, we have strengthened the irrigation system and improved access to water for farmers.”
The Chief Minister said the government has revived the Kandi Canal after nearly four decades and operationalised eight new canals in Pathankot, Amritsar and Gurdaspur. “These initiatives have significantly improved irrigation access, with 60.80 lakh acres of land being irrigated through the government’s efforts. Our commitment is to ensure that every drop counts, strengthen agriculture and provide much-needed relief to farmers,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab’s interests had suffered for decades, pointing out that the state received royalty on its river waters until 1960, after which the payments stopped completely. “Punjab has a legitimate claim to ₹1.44 lakh crore in royalties for its river waters. Rajasthan continues to receive water from Punjab free of cost and uses it for economic benefit. The people of Punjab, particularly our farmers, have made immense sacrifices to feed the nation. They cannot be expected to accept discrimination when it comes to their own natural resources,” he said.
The Chief Minister asserted that the government would pursue every legitimate avenue to protect Punjab’s water rights and secure justice for its people.
