Mann said Rajasthan had paid Punjab royalty for water until 1960 but now receives water without payment and subsequently sells it elsewhere. He argued that the arrangement had effectively turned water into a commercial business and said Punjab would pursue the matter through legal channels.
According to the report, the Punjab government has raised a claim worth ₹1.44 lakh crore in connection with the water royalty dispute. Mann maintained that the state was entitled to the amount and indicated that his government was prepared to fight a legal battle to establish its claim.
The demand brings renewed attention to the long-running inter-state dispute over the sharing and use of river water in northern India. Water allocation between Punjab and neighbouring states has remained a contentious political and legal issue, with questions surrounding historical arrangements, rights over river water and financial compensation.
The announcement was made during the special Assembly session, as the Punjab government sought to place its position on the issue before the legislature. Further details about the proposed legal proceedings, the calculation behind the ₹1.44 lakh crore claim and Rajasthan’s response were not provided in the supplied report.
