**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to Unstarred Question No. 2062 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 11, 2025, concerning Punjab's rights over the Sutlej and Beas rivers. The question addresses concerns regarding the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and its potential impact on Punjab's water rights and representation. The response clarifies the BBMB's regulatory functions, stakeholder representation, and decision-making processes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **BBMB's Role and Function:**
* The BBMB regulates the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers' waters and distributes them among partner states according to interstate agreements.
* Partner states project irrigation and domestic water requirements in monthly Technical Committee Meetings (TCM) of BBMB.
* BBMB releases water from reservoirs based on decisions made in the TCM.
* The TCM includes Chief Engineers from partner states (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan), Central Water Commission (CWC), and other departments.
* **Decision-Making Process:**
* The Board's decision is taken and implemented only after obtaining consensus among all stakeholders or partner states (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh) and Government of India.
* **Punjab's Representation and Interests:**
* As of July 2025, Punjab has a sanctioned share of 4,918 posts in the BBMB, with 1,756 filled by Punjab.
* The Member (Power) post is traditionally filled by the Government of Punjab.
* The BBMB includes members from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh.
* Decisions in the Board are taken unanimously to ensure the interests of all partner states, including Punjab, are protected.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State of Punjab**
* **Impact:** Clarification on the structure, decision-making processes, and representation within the BBMB. Reassurance that the current framework aims to protect Punjab's water rights and interests.
* **Action Required:** Continue participating in the monthly Technical Committee meetings to project irrigation and domestic requirements. Maintain representation in BBMB and ensure decision-making processes are consistent with the protection of the State's water rights.
**Stakeholder: Other Partner States (Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh)**
* **Impact:** Reinforcement of the existing water distribution agreements and the BBMB's role in regulating the rivers. Confirmation that decisions are based on consensus among all stakeholders.
* **Action Required:** Continue collaborating and participating in the TCM meetings to project irrigation and domestic water requirements. Maintain representation in the BBMB.
**Stakeholder: Union Government**
* **Impact:** The response fulfills the request for information from the Members of Parliament regarding the BBMB and Punjab's water rights. It outlines the steps taken to ensure fair governance.
* **Action Required:** Continue to oversee the BBMB's operations and ensure the fair distribution of water resources among partner states based on existing agreements and consensus.
Key Entities Referenced
Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB): Regulates the waters of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers, and the distribution of these waters among partner states. Subject of proposed amendments and concerns regarding Punjab's representation.
Punjab Reorganisation Act: Act under which the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) operates, and which is potentially being amended.
Punjab: State whose rights and interests regarding the Sutlej and Beas rivers and its representation in the BBMB are the focus of the question.
Sutlej River: One of the rivers whose waters are regulated by the BBMB, and over which Punjab claims riparian rights.
Beas River: One of the rivers whose waters are regulated by the BBMB, and over which Punjab claims riparian rights.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2062
ANSWERED ON 11.12.2025
PUNJAB RIGHTS OVER SUTLEJ AND BEAS RIVERS
2062. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:
SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government is aware of the proposed amendment to the Bhakra Beas Management
Board (BBMB) under the Punjab Reorganisation Act that would dilute Punjab’s representation by granting
equal membership to Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan resulting in situations where Punjab is deprived of
its rightful saying in planning and operations, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Union Government intends to protect Punjab’s riparian rights over the Sutlej and Beas
rivers, given that these waters flow through Punjab and the Board’s decisions increasingly put the State in
disadvantage and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Union Government acknowledges that due to the absence of Punjab officers and reduced
decision-making power, Punjab itself suffers record inundation because there is no responsible authority
from Punjab in BBMB to regulate, anticipate or control such situations, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Union Government is aware that key members and officers from Punjab have been
removed from the Board, if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Union Government has considered a reconstitution or restructuring of BBMB to ensure that
Punjab retains control over critical decisions relating to water release and dam operations, if so, the details
thereof; and
(f) the steps being taken by the Union Government to ensure that the Board’s governance is reformed in a
way that safeguards Punjab’s interests, prevents future water “robbery” and upholds the State’s sovereign
water rights?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (f) The BBMB is regulating the waters of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers and distribution of water of
these rivers among partner states in accordance with Inter-state agreements entered into by partner states.
Partner States project the irrigation and domestic requirements of their respective States in the monthly
Technical Committee meetings (TCM) of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) which is then released
by BBMB from the Reservoirs as per the decision taken in the aforesaid meeting of BBMB comprising
1Chief Engineers from partner states (Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan), Central Water Commission (CWC),
special invitees from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Agriculture department and senior officers
from BBMB, etc. The Board’s decision is taken and implemented only after obtaining consensus among all
the stakeholders or partner states (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh) and Government of
India.
As of July 2025, the State of Punjab has a sanctioned share of 4,918 posts in the overall sanctioned
strength of BBMB, of which 1,756 have been filled by Punjab. As per the convention, the post of Member
(Power) is filled from the Govt. of Punjab.
The BBMB is represented, inter-alia, with Members from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal
Pradesh. Further, the decisions in the Board are taken unanimously ensuring that the interests of all BBMB
partner states, including Punjab, are best protected.
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