Mahanadi river dispute to be resolved soon, says Odisha CM
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Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday said that the Mahanadi water distribution issue between Odisha and Chhattisgarh — with technical support from the Central Water Commission — is “moving closer to a solution”. Mr. Majhi said this after attending a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil.
“After meeting under chairmanship of Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi on July 30, 2026, we had informed that the issue would be resolved within three months. Today marked completion two months, we are on track to resolve it within three months,” said Mr. Majhi.
Stating that the discussions were positive and were held in a cordial atmosphere in attendance of Union Jal Shakti Minister and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bishnu Deo Sai, the Odisha CM said, “After the double-engine government of BJP came to power in both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, the process of resolving the Mahanadi issue has accelerated. Along with the legal process, administrative and political efforts have also been taken.”
Apart from meeting of political leadership, several meetings were also held at the level of the Chief Secretaries, Water Resources Secretaries and engineers of the two States, he said.
“We are gradually moving closer to a solution and I hope that the final framework for resolving the issue will emerge very soon. Both State governments have submitted the proposals... as well as all the documents that were sought. Based on these, all necessary steps are being taken to work out a solution keeping in view the interests of both States,” Mr. Majhi said.
Odisha CM thanked Mr. Shah for personally taking responsibility and making efforts to find a way to resolve the Mahanadi issue.
Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) demanded that the decisions taken at this meeting be made public. BJD MLA and former Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo said that since the Mahanadi water dispute is an important issue from the perspective of Odisha’s interests, it is essential that the people of the state are informed about the decisions taken at this meeting.
Odisha and Chhattisgarh had informed the tribunal that the expanded technical committee is scheduled to meet on October 13.
The next date of<SU>Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal meeting, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Bela M. Trivedi, has been fixed for October 15.
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