📌 Why in News?
Bihar's Water Security Why in News?
The 1996 India-Bangladesh Ganga/Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, commonly called the Farakka Treaty, completes its thirty-year term on 12 December 2026.
Syllabus & Relevance
Paper: GS-2
Theme: International Relations
Static Foundation
Its approaching expiry has triggered an important debate involving India-Bangladesh relations, climate change, Bihar's water requirements, federalism, river ecology, sediment management and transboundary-water diplomacy.
In August 2026, Bihar's leadership raised its concerns with the Union government.
External Affairs Minister S.
Jaishankar reportedly assured the state that its concerns over the Farakka Barrage and the water-sharing arrangement would be considered during the renewal process.
Bihar representatives have argued that a renewed arrangement should provide greater protection for the state's drinking-water, irrigation and development requirements.
One estimate cited in Parliament suggested that Bihar may require around 2,000 cusecs of additional Ganga water by 2050.
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