Chandigarh, March 18: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has called upon the Rajasthan government to settle an unpaid water royalty bill totaling ₹1.44 lakh crore, dating back to 1960. The Chief Minister affirmed that the calculation is based on the volume of water drawn by the neighboring state via the Ferozepur feeder. He maintained that according to the terms of a 1920 British-era pact, Punjab is entitled to compensation that has been ignored for over sixty years.
The Chief Minister declared that the continuous supply of 18,000 cusecs of water has been a vital resource for Rajasthan, yet the financial obligations tied to it were sidelined after the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. He asserted that Punjab’s water is not a free commodity and that the neighboring state cannot continue to benefit from these resources without fulfilling its prior agreements. The Chief Minister maintained that the current administration is dedicated to recovering every penny owed to the people of Punjab.
During the announcement, Mann stated that the state government has officially approached the Rajasthan administration for a high-level meeting. He affirmed that the silence from neighboring states regarding these payments is inconsistent with their simultaneous demands for additional water allocations. The Chief Minister declared that the state’s stance is clear: Rajasthan must acknowledge its debt and provide a concrete plan for repayment.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann further asserted that the state will not allow its interests to be compromised any longer. He maintained that if the dues are not addressed, the supply of water could be at risk. The Chief Minister affirmed that the government is prepared to take all necessary steps to safeguard the economic and ecological interests of Punjab in this long-standing interstate matter.
