Ahmedabad: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra on Tuesday reached an agreement to resolve decades-old issues related to displacement and land compensation under the Narmada Project.

The agreement was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. According to officials, the settlement brings an end to the long-pending dispute over the rehabilitation and land compensation of people affected by submergence under the Narmada Project.

Under the agreement, the pending dues will be settled through a one-time payment arrangement.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said the issue of pending payments under the Narmada Award had remained unresolved among Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for a long time and has now been resolved amicably.

Shah appreciated the constructive cooperation extended by the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra in building a broad consensus on this important inter-state project. He said the project has immensely benefited Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan in particular. He added that with the completion of the dam, water and electricity have reached every part of these states.

Shah further said that while the benefits accruing to Rajasthan may appear modest at first glance, the areas that have received Narmada waters have witnessed a transformation in both land value and the fortunes of farmers. DeshGujarat