Delhi: Historic MoU on the Kishau Project signed by 6 states under the chairmanship of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah

• Decisive momentum for the eight-decade-old Kishau Project under the leadership of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi

New Delhi : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the implementation of the long-pending Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project was signed between Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi during a crucial meeting held at Kartavya Bhawan in New Delhi, chaired by Union Home and Cooperation Minister  Amit Shah. This agreement for the project—awaited for nearly eight decades—marks a historic and decisive step towards water security, energy generation, irrigation, drinking water supply, and the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that today is not merely an occasion for signing an agreement, but a historic step towards bringing the Kishau Project—awaited for nearly eight decades—to fruition. On behalf of ‘Devbhoomi’ Uttarakhand, he expressed his gratitude to the Government of India and all the participating state governments.

The Chief Minister noted that the Kishau Project was originally conceived in 1940. While numerous attempts were made over the years to advance the project, it could not progress due to various reasons. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, significant projects that had been pending for decades are being fast-tracked. Expressing special gratitude to Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister said that under his guidance, the meeting held on June 16, 2026, paved the way for resolving several critical hurdles associated with the Kishau Project. Subsequently, continuous coordination between the Centre and the participating state governments led to significant progress, culminating in the formalization of the project through today’s MoU signing.

A Multipurpose Project of National Importance-

The Chief Minister emphasized that Kishau is not an ordinary dam project; rather, it is a multipurpose project of national importance concerning water security, energy, irrigation, drinking water supply, and the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River. He stated that the project would create a massive reservoir with a capacity of approximately 1562 MCM and develop a power generation capacity of 422 MW. Its benefits would extend to the entire Upper Yamuna Basin, including Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, as well as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan.

The Chief Minister remarked that the Kishau Project is not merely a project for a single state or region but a significant example of inter-state cooperation and cooperative federalism. Thanks to the collective efforts of the central and state governments and improved coordination among the participating states, this long-pending project has now gained decisive momentum.

Rehabilitation of Affected Families: Top Priority

The Chief Minister noted that the project’s construction would entail certain significant challenges. Ensuring the fair, sensitive, and dignified rehabilitation of families affected by the project is the Uttarakhand government’s top priority. He emphasized the necessity of safeguarding the interests of affected families alongside development projects, assuring that the state government would act with the utmost sensitivity in this regard.

Challenge of Providing Land for Compensatory Afforestation

The Chief Minister pointed out that the project would require the transfer of approximately 2,500 hectares of forest land, necessitating a large amount of land for compensatory afforestation. He observed that making such a vast tract of land available poses a significant challenge for a mountainous and heavily forested state like Uttarakhand. Consequently, he requested the Government of India and all participating states to assist Uttarakhand in identifying the land required for compensatory afforestation. The Chief Minister affirmed Uttarakhand’s commitment to balancing environmental conservation with development, ensuring strict compliance with all environmental and forestry regulations associated with the project.

Time-bound Implementation with Unwavering Resolve

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that, under the leadership of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home and Cooperation Minister  Amit Shah, all participating states would succeed in fulfilling their unwavering resolve to implement the Kishau Project within the stipulated timeframe.

He remarked that the signing of the MoU today was not merely a formality but a historic milestone marking the commencement of a vital project whose benefits would reach future generations. The Chief Minister stated that the implementation of the Kishau Project would provide fresh momentum to water availability, irrigation, drinking water supply, energy generation, and the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River, while also yielding long-term developmental benefits for the states within the Upper Yamuna Basin.

The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to Union Home and Cooperation Minister  Amit Shah, Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister  Yogi Adityanath, Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, as well as Union Ministers, participating state governments, and senior officials present.