The Sone River water sharing dispute between Bihar and Jharkhand has been resolved through an MoU signed in the presence of the Union Home Minister. This note covers the Sone River water sharing pact and the river’s geography for prelims.
Why in News?
Bihar and Jharkhand signed an MoU to divide the 7.75 million acre-feet (MAF) of Sone water originally allotted to undivided Bihar under the 1973 Bansagar Agreement.
The pact ends a dispute pending since Jharkhand’s creation in 2000 and will provide irrigation to lakhs of farmers and drinking water in both states.
Sone River water sharing: Key Facts for Prelims
- Bansagar Agreement (1973): signed by Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the Bansagar dam on the Sone; water share was fixed for undivided Bihar.
- Bansagar Dam is in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh; Indrapuri Barrage (Bihar) is the main diversion structure on the Sone.
- The MoU was facilitated by the Centre (Ministry of Home Affairs / Inter-State Council mechanism) rather than by a tribunal.
- Beneficiary regions: Sone command area districts of south Bihar (Rohtas, Kaimur, Bhojpur, Aurangabad, Patna etc.) and Palamu region of Jharkhand.
Sone River – geography for prelims
- Second-largest southern (right-bank) tributary of the Ganga after the Yamuna.
- Origin: near Amarkantak (Maikal Range), Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh border – just east of the source of the Narmada.
- Flows through five states: Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar; joins the Ganga near Patna (Maner).
- Tributaries: Rihand, Koel (North Koel), Kanhar, Gopad, Johilla. Rihand Dam (Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar) is on the Rihand in UP.
- Notable: Sone is a ‘gold-yielding’ river (Hiranyabahu in ancient texts); Dehri-on-Sone bridge was once among Asia’s longest.
Inter-state water disputes – constitutional links
- Article 262: Parliament may provide for adjudication of inter-state river disputes and bar court jurisdiction.
- Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (tribunals) and River Boards Act, 1956.
- Article 263: Inter-State Council (set up in 1990 on Sarkaria Commission advice).
- Active tribunals: Krishna (KWDT-II), Mahadayi, Vansadhara, Mahanadi, Ravi-Beas.
Quick Revision Table: Sone River water sharing
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Parties | Bihar and Jharkhand |
| Water divided | 7.75 MAF (undivided Bihar’s share) |
| Base agreement | Bansagar Agreement 1973 (MP, UP, Bihar) |
| Bansagar Dam location | Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh |
| Sone origin | Amarkantak, Maikal Range |
| Ganga tributary rank | 2nd largest right-bank tributary after Yamuna |
| Constitutional provision | Article 262 + ISRWD Act 1956 |
Trap / Confusing Points: Sone River water sharing
| Confusion | Correct Position |
|---|---|
| Sone is a left-bank tributary of the Ganga | No – right-bank (southern) tributary |
| Sone and Narmada flow in the same direction | No – Narmada flows west to the Arabian Sea; Sone flows north-east to the Ganga |
| Dispute settled by a tribunal award | No – settled by an MoU between the states |
| Bansagar Dam is in Bihar | No – in Madhya Pradesh (Shahdol) |
5 Practice MCQs on Sone River water sharing
1. The Sone River originates near:
a. Mahabaleshwar
b. Amarkantak
c. Nasik
d. Betul
Ans: B
Explanation: Sone rises near Amarkantak in the Maikal Range, close to the Narmada’s source.
2. The Bansagar Agreement of 1973 was signed among which states?
a. Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha
b. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar
c. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
d. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar
Ans: B
Explanation: MP, UP and (undivided) Bihar signed it for the Bansagar project on the Sone.
3. Which of the following is NOT a tributary of the Sone?
a. Rihand
b. Koel
c. Kanhar
d. Kosi
Ans: D
Explanation: Kosi is a left-bank tributary of the Ganga from Nepal; Rihand, Koel and Kanhar feed the Sone.
4. Article 262 of the Constitution deals with:
a. Inter-State Council
b. Adjudication of inter-state river water disputes
c. Finance Commission
d. Zonal Councils
Ans: B
Explanation: Article 262 lets Parliament legislate on inter-state river disputes and exclude court jurisdiction.
5. The Sone River joins the Ganga near:
a. Varanasi
b. Patna
c. Bhagalpur
d. Allahabad
Ans: B
Explanation: The confluence is at Maner, west of Patna.
Exam tip: Revise Sone River water sharing together with the static links above; UPSC and APPSC prelims often frame questions from these interconnections.
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To know more about the Sone water pact, Click here.
