Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday described the long-awaited agreement on the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project as a “historic success” for the state, ahead of the signing of the pact in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The project is aimed at supporting the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River while addressing water and power requirements across the participating states.

The Kishau project, estimated to cost around Rs 15,000 crore, involves Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. The Centre will bear 90 per cent of the cost of the project's water component as financial assistance, while the remaining 10 per cent will be shared by the six participating states. The agreement is expected to pave the way for implementation of the long-pending multipurpose project.

Sukhu said the arrangement would protect Himachal Pradesh's interests while providing the state with an annual income of around Rs 600 crore without requiring an investment. He stressed that the state's heritage, rights and future must remain secure. “There will be no compromise with the state’s rights, honour, and future,” Sukhu said in a post on X, adding that the interests of Himachal Pradesh would remain the government's foremost concern.

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The latest development follows a meeting chaired by Shah in New Delhi on June 15, when the six beneficiary states reached a consensus to sign a memorandum of understanding for implementing the Kishau Multipurpose Project. A key part of the agreement involves allocating Himachal Pradesh's share of water to Delhi and Rajasthan in return for sharing the cost of the state's portion of the project's power component. The arrangement is intended to resolve outstanding issues among the participating states.

The project is also being viewed as an important step towards improving the flow and quality of water in the Yamuna. BJP Rajya Sabha member Harsh Mahajan had earlier welcomed the June consensus and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, describing the agreement as an example of resolving long-pending issues through dialogue. He said the project could contribute to water conservation, energy generation and regional development while supporting efforts to restore the Yamuna.

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