The Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday unanimously passed five resolutions asserting the state’s rights over its river waters. The five resolutions were moved by Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal.The passage of these resolutions signals a major political outreach by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the farming community, while bringing the politically sensitive issue of river-water sharing to the forefront of political debate ahead of the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.The resolutions were supported by BSP MLA Nachattar Pal and rebel SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.The move assumes significance as the party looks to consolidate its support among farmers ahead of the crucial elections. The AAP government had agreed to pass some of these resolutions in the Vidhan Sabha during its discussions with Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders and BKU Ekta Ugrahan leaders earlier this year.Speaking about the resolutions, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said he had made strenuous efforts to increase the utilisation of canal water after assuming office.“When we took over the reins of the state, only 21 per cent of canal water was being used for irrigation. Now, the figure stands at 80 per cent. We have laid 14,000 km of pipelines to carry water from canals to fields for irrigation. This is helping curb groundwater extraction. As our state requires more water, we will supply water to non-riparian states only if they pay royalty. Rajasthan now owes us Rs 1.44 lakh crore in royalty for using our waters,” Mann said.One of the resolutions presented in the Vidhan Sabha by Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal on the last day of the ongoing session asserts Punjab’s historical and legal claim to the waters of the Yamuna, which flowed through undivided Punjab before the state’s reorganisation in 1966.The resolution points out that, unlike the Ravi and Beas, the Yamuna was excluded from formal water allocations to Punjab. It also highlights the state’s dependence on groundwater to meet its agricultural requirements, with groundwater levels depleted in 72 per cent of its blocks.The state had filed a formal complaint with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti on April 25, 2025, seeking the constitution of a Water Disputes Tribunal to determine its claim to an equitable share of the Yamuna’s waters. The resolution states that securing such a share is necessary to sustain agriculture and reduce pressure on groundwater resources.Another resolution passed today challenges Section 79(1)(c) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, under which control of the Ropar, Harike and Ferozepur irrigation headworks was assigned to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).The Punjab government’s resolution maintains that the provision is unconstitutional and beyond Parliament’s legislative competence, arguing that water regulation falls under the State List of the Constitution. It also cites examples from other states. Goyal cited Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Karnataka and Odisha, where headworks are under the direct control of the respective state governments.The third resolution, which was tabled and passed, seeks to reaffirm the Assembly’s unanimous resolution of May 5, 2025, rejecting the Dam Safety Act, 2021. Goyal said the Act was an attack on the country’s federal structure and demanded its repeal. He added that the House rejected the legislation.The fourth resolution seeks royalty from Rajasthan for water supplied to the state from the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers. Reading out the resolution, Goyal argued that Punjab, which faces increasing pressure on its groundwater resources and has substantial agricultural water requirements of its own, should not be expected to supply water to Rajasthan free of cost when the latter uses it for irrigation, drinking and commercial purposes and even earns revenue from it.The resolution maintains that Rajasthan is not a riparian state and should share the financial burden associated with the water it receives.It calls upon the Rajasthan government and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to acknowledge the liability, ensure annual payments and settle the cost of the water supplied. Goyal said Rajasthan should acknowledge its liability to Punjab and pay the outstanding amount, while the Ministry of Jal Shakti should ensure that the neighbouring state clears its dues.The House resolved that the state government would take up the matter before all appropriate forums to recover the cost of water supplied to Rajasthan.A similar resolution seeking royalty for water supplied to non-riparian states was passed in the Vidhan Sabha on November 16, 2016, by the previous Akali-BJP government.The fifth resolution addresses the flow of Ravi waters into Pakistan from the Madhopur Headworks, the last headworks on the river in India. The House resolved that the Central Government be requested to execute the Ujh Multipurpose Project on a priority basis and divert the waters of the Ujh to the Ranjit Sagar Dam so that the water can be stored and fully utilised within Punjab. The House also resolved that the Central Water Commission be requested to approve the Ravi-Beas Link Project.