Anurag Thakur Welcomes Kishau Project Agreement, Highlights Centre-State Coordination

Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, Anurag Singh Thakur, has welcomed the resolution of the long-pending issues surrounding the Kishau Multipurpose Project, saying that the agreement reached among six participating states marks an important step towards taking the project forward.

Thakur said the Central Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, worked with the participating states through dialogue and coordination to address the differences surrounding the project.

According to the Press Information Bureau, the Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi signed the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement on September 15, 2026, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil.

Thakur said that Amit Shah and C. R. Patil held discussions with the Chief Ministers of the participating states to facilitate consensus on the long-pending project.

Expressing gratitude for the agreement, Thakur acknowledged the role of the Prime Minister, Union ministers and the Chief Ministers of the six participating states in reaching the agreement.

Centre to Bear Major Share of Financial Burden

Highlighting the financial arrangements, Thakur said that the Kishau Multipurpose Project has been accorded the status of a National Project. The Central Government is expected to bear approximately 90 percent of the financial burden, while the remaining share will be borne by the participating states, subject to the applicable project arrangements. The Centre had earlier stated that 90 percent of the cost of the water component would be provided as Central assistance.

Thakur also referred to the arrangement under which the financial burden associated with Himachal Pradesh's power component would be shared in connection with the allocation of the state's water share to Delhi and Rajasthan.

He said the project is intended to address requirements related to water storage, irrigation, drinking water and hydropower in the region.

According to the Central Government, the project is expected to provide irrigation to approximately 97,000 hectares of land and generate around 1,476 million units of hydropower.

Thakur Raises Political Credit Issue

Thakur also criticised Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over what he described as an attempt to claim individual political credit for the agreement.

He argued that the agreement involved six participating states and the Central Government and said that the contribution of all stakeholders should be recognised.

Thakur also questioned why the project had remained unresolved for a long period under previous governments. His remarks were part of his political response to the agreement and should be viewed in that context.

Project Linked to Water and Energy Security

The Kishau Multipurpose Project is proposed on the Tons River along the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. The Central Government has described the agreement as an example of coordination among the participating states and said that the project is expected to contribute to irrigation, water availability and environmental objectives linked to the Yamuna basin.

Thakur said the agreement could help address long-term water and energy requirements in the region and urged that the focus remain on implementation and the interests of the participating states.