Polity and Governance › Federalism
हिन्दी — Read in HindiInterstate relations, councils, border and water disputes
The States among themselves: the councils where they meet, their border and water disputes, and the reorganisation of States under Articles 3 and 4.
Showing 3 of 9 articles, those that changed from 1 to 31 July 2026.Show all
Sardar Sarovar cost sharing settlement
Copy link to Sardar Sarovar cost sharing settlementPrelims
The Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada is shared by Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan under the award of the Narmada tribunal.
What changed
7 Jul 2026Briefnewly addedOn 7 July the Chief Ministers of the four States signed an agreement in New Delhi settling long pending cost sharing disputes over the project. The disputes were closed through a one time settlement of outstanding dues, in the presence of the Union Home and Jal Shakti Ministers. It shows a negotiated settlement working alongside the tribunal's award. Free Press Journal, 7 Jul 2026: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat sign Sardar Sarovar pact (opens in a new tab)
Mahanadi water dispute
Copy link to Mahanadi water disputePrelims and Mains
The Mahanadi dispute between Chhattisgarh and Odisha went to a tribunal set up in 2018 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, and the States may instead settle it by negotiation.
What changed
30 Jul 2026BriefChhattisgarh and Odisha agreed to seek a negotiated settlement through a technical committee chaired by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission. PIB, 30 Jul 2026: UNION MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI CHAIRS MEETING WITH CHIEF MINISTERS OF CHHATTISGARH AND ODISHA TO FACILITATE AN AMICABLE SETTLEMENT OF THE MAHANADI WATER DISPUTE (opens in a new tab)
Cauvery and Mekedatu
Copy link to Cauvery and MekedatuPrelims and Mains
The Cauvery Water Management Authority implements the sharing of the river between Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry as fixed by the tribunal and modified by the Supreme Court in 2018.
- Mekedatu is a dam Karnataka proposes on the river inside its own territory.
Appraisal in the Cauvery basin
State report
The State submits a preliminary report
CWC scrutiny
The Central Water Commission checks hydrology and inter State aspects
Project report
Preparation of the detailed project report is approved
Technical note
The CWC sends a technical note to the Cauvery Water Management Authority
Authority's view
The authority gives its view, or is presumed to concur after six months
Other clearances
Environmental and tribal clearances follow
What changed
30 Jul 2026
- The Cauvery Water Management Authority upheld a direction that Karnataka release 3,500 cusecs a day to Tamil Nadu.
- On Mekedatu the Centre told Parliament that the 2018 Supreme Court judgment does not require Karnataka to obtain other States' permission.
- But any revised project report needs appraisal by the Central Water Commission and the Authority's views.
Mains: Karnataka often meets the annual quantity but not the monthly schedule, so compliance figures and distress can both be true.
Show history (1 other update)
25 Jun 2026
- The Tamil Nadu Assembly on 19 June unanimously opposed Mekedatu and sought a tribunal.
- The Supreme Court had dismissed Tamil Nadu's review of a November 2025 decision calling its challenge premature.
- Karnataka is preparing a revised project report.
- Tamil Nadu also opposes new Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines whose presumptive concurrence clause treats the authority as agreeing if it gives no view within six months.
Mains: The dispute is driven by a trust deficit between the riparian States rather than the project's stated drinking water purpose.
The Hindu, 25 Jun 2026: Furore over the Mekedatu project (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 26 Jun 2026: Why is Tamil Nadu opposing the Centre's latest guidelines on Cauvery basin? | Explained (opens in a new tab)